


Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar: Season 1

by extravirginwriting



Series: Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Angst, Fluff, Humor, ITS EVERYTHING, Multi, mockumentary, v inspired by the office us
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-07
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-07-22 00:39:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7411589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extravirginwriting/pseuds/extravirginwriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Overwatch Medical Supplies, the best local solution for all your catheters, thermometers, and everything in between. Not only are the supplies top notch, but so are the employees... Some of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pilot

**Author's Note:**

> hi i was on a plane and the kid behind me kept kicking my seat so i couldnt sleep so i wrote this garbage instead. yea no its straight up garbage im so sorry you have to read this
> 
> please comment on this lol i worked actly p hard on it and i like nice comments ........

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gilbaltar - 9:45am

 

_"I've been managing this branch of Overwatch Medical Supplies for the past four and a half years. It's a very relaxed environment, we're all friends here. You know, work actually is supposed to start at 9:30, but I let people have flexible hours. I mean, even if I said no, they'd still have them. Once they start, they can't stop!" Winston laughed, leaning back in his chair. "No, no, I think people like working here. Nobody's ever told me they don't- because they have to go HR for that."_

 

The office was hardly populated. Saleswoman Fareeha Amari sat at her desk, lazily typing in a report to keep herself busy until a client called or she found a new lead. Across the office, at the edge of the annex, was Hanzo Shimada, their quality assurance employee, going over his emails with a hot travel mug of tea.

In the annex was Angela Ziegler, Fareeha's wife, and Overwatch Gibraltar's human resources representative. She was fair, punctual, and constantly gave advice to the younger employees whenever they came to her for it.

 

_"I've been at Overwatch for eight years." Angela said, nodding to the camera. "It's a little sad to say out loud, that I've stayed at a human resources job for eight years... But I like it here. I used to be an EMT, that was really fun. This job isn't very fun, but it's nice. I have my Fareeha right over there, sometimes if she's standing in the right way, I can see her through the window. It's nice."_

 

_"I've worked for Overwatch for the past eight years. I was in the military prior to being employed here." Fareeha stated plainly, showing almost no emotion. "It's a job, one with a good salary and a wife just over in the annex. Many people cannot imagine working at the same place for eight years, but at Overwatch, you can."_

 

_"Five years here." Hanzo confirmed with a small nod. "The job is decent. I email people, occasionally take a company car over to their warehouses. Very simple work."_

 

At 9:50, Tekhartha Zenyatta came through the door. They ran supplier relations, technically in a team with Hanzo, though the pair rarely spoke. Despite their odd tendencies, Zenyatta got the job done with little complaint. A few moments after, Lena Oxton came barreling through the door on her rollerskates, skating right up to Fareeha's desk.

"Hey, Fareeha." Lena leaned in close to the taller woman, setting her elbows on the desk. "You wanna do a sales call with me today?"

"You managed to get a lead? Where?" Fareeha asked, sitting up attentively. While Lena had a tendency to be the most annoying in the office, constantly skating around and shouting, she was a damn good saleswoman.

"Urgent care up in Guildford. My mum took my cousin there over the weekend, she said their equipment looked old, gave us a gleaming recommendation."

"Props to your mum. How about we go for lunch?"

Lena grinned, slapping Fareeha hard on the back. "You're paying!"

 

 _"I've worked here for two years. Feels like a second home and a second job. Prolly 'cuz it is my second job. Yeah, straight outta college, I figure, hey, what should I do? My mum, she sets me up_ babysitting _. Small potatoes. Then, I get hooked up with this mental job, but I can't get out of babysitting! I'm a woman of many trades." Lena laughed, picking at her teeth with her pinky nail._

 

_"I used to be a monk, but the lifestyle didn't suit me. So I came here, and started working. That was all a year ago. Cleared my head after my brother died, got me back on the right track." Zenyatta folded their hands in their lap, nodding softly. "A very good lifestyle here."_

 

Jesse McCree came through the door, carrying his briefcase and a carrier of coffees. When Hanzo perked up, Jesse grinned wickedly, immediately announcing, "Sales staff only!"

 

 _"Six and a half years as a salesman here. I actually used to work down in the workhouse, but I figured I'd leave that job to the little ones. I'm thirty-seven, too old to be throwin' my back out tryin' to lift a box of catheters." Jesse shrugged. "Can't complain. Boss is fair, coworkers are good people. The salary's nothin'_ _at this point. I won't get anything better, 'specially not after working here for almost seven years."_

 

"Don't give any to Lena." Fareeha ordered, taking both. "She has to finish both of her reports from yesterday, otherwise she doesn't deserve it. I've been getting in trouble with Winston because you can't bother to complete the work you've started. Even accounting is in trouble because you put it off."

"Yeah, but it's not due 'til month's end!" Lena complained, grabbing for the cup.

"Except when you put them all off until the end of the month, you entirely forget to do them."

Lena groaned, smacking her head against Fareeha's desk. She relied on coffee in the mornings, and the sales team usually rotated on who bought. When Fareeha was in charge, Lena never got anything more than a kids' sized hot chocolate if she didn't have her sales reports in. Fareeha sent her back to her own desk with a gentle pat on the back and quick shove.

The team went back to their desks, Lena's mocha sitting patiently at the edge of Fareeha's desk, just out of reach. Lena typed away at her computer, focusing on getting the reports done before her coffee could get cold, while Fareeha prepared lunch reservations for their call.

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar was the exclusive Overwatch establishment in Western Europe. It made the jobs of the four sales staff harder, but it was rare for them to fail at their jobs or for medical centers to demand a new supplier. Therefore, their business was not as competitive as it could be, but it presented each salesman a decent challenge. 

 

At ten, the true crowd started to flow in. Their receptionist, nineteen year old Hana Song, came sashaying in, mouthing along to some Top 100s song she'd heard in the car on the way to work. Hana was the daughter of the company's CEO, Jack Morrison. He'd given her the job to "expand her worldview," sending her from their rural town in Indiana out to Europe, though many of the employees theorized that Jack had been punishing Hana for reckless behavior.

Behind Hana was Mei-Ling Zhou, the sole customer service representative. She was a ray of sunlight in the office, always keeping a bowl of lollipops on her desk, inviting people over for conversation, and occasionally spontaneously bringing food for everybody to share at lunch. Reinhardt Wilhelm came beside Mei, carrying his briefcase underneath his arm.

 

_"I've been here for the past six years, and I've loved every moment of it! Customer service is so fun, even though some people are totally grouchy, I get their frustration. Sometimes we have rude salespeople, sometimes products aren't working! I understand!" Mei said, smiling ear to ear with true joy. "But the office makes it all better, and the very nice callers! Sometimes, if I'm having a very bad day, the warehouse foreman calls up to prank call me. She's sweet."_

 

 _"This job is actually pretty lame. Like, shoutout to my dad for getting me it, but it sucks total ass! All my friends work at, like, Walmart. In, like, America. Where they know people. I have this dumb 'real job' in some foreign country I don't give a shit about." Hana groaned, crossing her arms. "Don't tell anyone,_ especially  _not my dad, but the only thing that makes this job bearable is playing MMORPGs on my work computer with Lúcio and Genji."_

 

_"Must've been working here for twenty years, it feels like! Go ask Angela, she keeps the records!" Reinhardt laughed, throwing his arms in the air. "I've been here longer than Winston, all of 'em! It's practically my office! I'm a free man here!"_

 

By the time 10:15 rolled around, the office manager came in, Lúcio Correia dos Santos. He was one of the younger employees, and it showed, from his assortment of lime green clothing to the ridiculously loud music playing from his cubicle constantly. 

 

_"I sort of made up the position of office manager so I could have a more flexible working experience, you know? I buy office supplies, plan parties, schedule shifts. Pretty simple stuff. I was a salesman before, for about three years, but I definitely like this position a little better. I get a tiny raise with it too, $3 an hour. Makes it pretty decent. Especially since I have to work with those snobs out in accounting more than ever, the raise makes it really worth it." Lúcio adjusted his tie quickly, popping an earbud in and sliding down in his seat. "So pretentious."_

 

The warehouse staff and accounting came in at about 10:30. In the warehouse, Aleksandra Zaryanova was always the first one there. She was previously in the military, and was practically addicted to the strict schedule and structure. 

 

_"I've worked in warehouse for two and a half years, I'm foreman here. I like it down here. Nice and warm in the summer, perfect temperature in winter if we leave the big door closed and a few space heaters on. And there's sweetheart upstairs. She comes down everyday, noon, coordinates our lunches. She spends the whole thirty minutes to teach me more English." Aleksandra smiled, running a hand through her short, neon pink hair. "I like her. Very nice woman..."_

 

Mako Rutledge came in with Bastion, the younger of Jack Morrison's children. Bastion was eighteen, and had been sent to the warehouse, getting less than his sister's cushy upstairs job. Most children would've complained, demanded a job of equal status, but supposedly, Bastion had begged for his position when Jack tried to place him as the office intern. 

 

 _"It's super fun working here! There's, um, birds! Birds are outside, so are the plants! It's really nice, really cool, really fun. Um, yeah! I have fun working here." Bastion explained, grinning and giggling. He adjusted himself in the chair, square shoulders threatening his shirt. "There's so much to do here! The foreman doesn't really_ like  _me, but she's so cool! She dyes her hair, paints her nails! She's super cool! And Mako- he's cool! My sister comes down sometimes, she's cool!"_

 

_"The job pays better than my last one. You can't ask what the last one was." Mako said, crossing his arms and coughing roughly. "It's a decent job, been here fifteen years. No plans to leave."_

 

Upstairs, Jamison Fawkes came in with Satya Vaswani, making up the entire accounting department. Jamison was engaged to Mei, no matter the amount of complaints they created against each other for Angela to sift through. He was a problematic member of the office, constantly trying to engage the office in pyrotechnics shows in the parking lot over lunch.

 

_"I've worked at Overwatch for the past three years, in accounting. I actually worked at Headquarters for about eight months as a marketing consultant. Morrison sent me here for undisclosed reasons." Satya stated plainly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I like the steadiness of numbers, the repetition is soothing. Jamison is not."_

 

_"Pretty fuckin' sick job. Get shit nothin' done, since Satya's always gonna just double check it anyways. She wants to nitpick, I let her just do the fuckin' work." Jamison shrugged, letting out a barking laugh. "Yeah- she can just do it her goddamn self. Not like anybody'll stop me. We do what we fuckin' want here."_

 

"Angela, Jamison keeps interrupting me while I work. He's been knocking my desk lamp over periodically, every forty seconds to a minute." Satya complained, standing stiffly beside the human resources desk.

"Has he told you why?" Angela asked, turning in her swivel chair. She already had a pink pad of complaint forms prepared, Jamison's name filled out from a week ago when Angela had decided to label a few sheets before the incidents occured to get the work out of the way.

"He says he doesn't believe it's a fire hazard."

"Sounds like Jamison."

Starting on the form in curly handwriting, Angela bent over her desk as Satya walked away. Usually, the forms made their way into a stack that she went through at the end of the week. It was comprised of all of Satya and Jamison's complaints against each other, and every Friday, Angela (with Fareeha's input) decided which were worth sending up the chain of command and which could go into the "special filing cabinet." Complaints were made almost hourly, and most ended up in the trash. Some of her favorites had been "breathing too loudly to focus" from Satya and "looking at an expiration date weirdly", courtesy of Jamison.

 

 

"Are you coming to the office Christmas party?" Mei asked, swiveling in circles on her chair, curling the phone line around her index finger.

"If you're extra nice to me." Aleksandra teased.

"I'm ignoring work for you!"

"Not nice enough! You have to be so pleasant that I ignore my dearest brother's own party."

"How about I bring you some of my mom's meat geng? You like her soup, and I don't know why. It gets cold."

"Russians like cold soup. Is all we eat."

"It's. Or, it is. Can't leave those off."

"Ah, yes. It is all we eat. Thank you, Mei."

"Of course. What kind of teacher would I be if I just left you hanging like that?"

"Not a very good one. I have to get back to work, Bastion's looking at me, like lost puppy. I'll see you at lunch?"

"Oh, actually, Jamie and I were going out. Taking a long lunch? I'll make it up to you, spend my break down at the warehouse tomorrow?"

"No, no, forget it. You and your fiancee, have a fun time."

"Okay... I'll still come though! Bye!"

"Goodbye, Mei."

 

_"Mei and I are close, yes. I like her, she's a nice person. She is engaged to the Fawkes upstairs, they are good people. Good company, good match..." Aleksandra said, nodding gently. She fidgeted in the interview seat, staring at the floor intently. "I really should be getting back to work."_

 

Hana had been pretending to work for the past seventeen minutes. She'd set up call forwarding to her cellphone, which was on silent, and turned off her email notifications. For the past seventeen minutes, she'd been playing video games with Lúcio, who had also been pretending to work, but only for about fifteen minutes, since Hana had been the one to start their session. The intern, Genji Shimada, had been playing with them from home, since he only came in Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

They were about twenty-five minutes into their game when Fareeha approached Hana's desk, setting her palms flat against the top. "Hana- I was expecting a call from one of my clients about ten minutes ago." She said, voice low and serious, "This is a big client, Hana. Did you get the call?"

Looking up, Hana shook her head. Slyly, she reached over, clicking her phone on. She was greeted with three missed calls, one from a number she'd seen many times calling for Fareeha. "I'll tell you if they call. Probably forgot. Clients never prioritize the sales staff."

"Thank you, Hana. You're the most trustworthy receptionist we've ever had, you should talk Winston into giving you a raise." Fareeha said, smiling. She retreated back to her desk, as Hana left the game, quickly sorting through her missed emails. 

 

Mei sat in the breakroom alone, picking at her sandwich with little interest. She opened her metal water bottle, then twisted the cap back on, then brought it off again. Her phone was sitting in the corner charging after a particularly stressful phone call with her mother, resulting in some tears and a lunch break alone. If it were any other day, she would've gone right down to the warehouse and sat with Aleksandra, practicing sentences over and over again. Today it didn't feel right.

She had planned to have a pleasant lunch with her fiancee, maybe go shopping for a bit. She'd asked Winston for the extra thirty minutes, and it was all set. Until Jamison decided that he really wanted to "have some space" and insisted that Mei take his lunch while he get lunch with Jesse and Lúcio. Mei tossed the chicken breast into the garbage, and ate a few bites of the salad he'd packed before realizing that all the greens were half rotted. 

Part of her wanted Aleksandra to have a sixth sense to her pain and come upstairs, talk it out with her. The other part knew that the foreman was probably busy with her own lunch, and even if she did come upstairs, would be lost in the complexity of the emotional conversation. Mentally, Mei made a note to explain new words to describe emotion to Aleksandra.

 

_"Everyday, I try to get my work done by four, so that I can ask Winston to leave at four twenty-five. Fareeha is a chronic procrastinator and usually finishes her work right at five when we leave. I can't change her, it's been like this for eight years." Angela shook her head, smiling widely. "So, I get off at four twenty-five. And I go downtown, buy some new shoes or get a quick snack, then I go and pick Fareeha up, and we go out together. Everyday for eight years."_

 

Angela approached Fareeha's desk quietly, sitting on the edge. Fareeha looked up from her report with a small smile, running her hand over Angela's. Her wife leaned down, tapping her cheek with her other hand. Obliging Angela's request, Fareeha leaned in and placed a kiss gently on the soft skin.

"I'm going to head out. I'll be back around five to come get you." Angela promised, moving away.

"I'll see you then. Where should we go out tonight? I was thinking maybe go and fulfill a reservation I made at that French restaurant downtown?" Fareeha smiled, leaning back in her chair confidently.

"Oh my God, the one I've been asking you about? Best wife ever. I'll get you something before I come and pick you up."

 

_"I like to make Angela happy." Fareeha said, smiling softly. "Um, she's been sort of down lately. Her car broke down, so we've been sharing mine. Our sixth adoption application was just rejected. Another family was picked. I just want her to be smiling when she doesn't have to."_

 

Hana turned off her computer promptly at five, Lúcio threw on his headphones, Lena grabbed her cliche briefcase that she insisted on owning, and Fareeha tossed her scarf around her neck. They took the elevator down to the lobby together, Hana waiting for Bastion to give her a ride, Lúcio waiting for the city bus while Fareeha hopped in the car, placing a kiss on her wife's cheek. Lena stood at the edge of the lot, adjusting her the straps on her skates.

"Hey, are you skating home?" Lena whipped around to see Aleksandra standing behind her, car keys in hand.

"Oh, yeah! I usually do. Only live right down by the lake, so it's not too far." Lena said, leaning forward on her toes.

"No kidding, my apartment is right down by there. Let me give you a ride, come on."

Lena smiled widely, getting in Aleksandra's truck with her as Mei walked out of the building, Jamison's arm linked with hers. Neither were speaking, staring at the concrete in perfect silence. She looked up to see Aleksandra and Lena smiling together, a small frown making it's way onto her face as Aleksandra waved goodnight to her. 

 

_"I don't think it's unreasonable to want a fairytale life. Marry somebody you love, have friends who care about you, live in a nice house with a nice garden." Mei nodded, folding her hands in her lap. "I'm having a rough patch right now. My fairytale is going to get to a good part soon, where the Disney princess sings her big song and everything works out. It's just a roughpatch. I'll get my fairytale."_

 


	2. Warehouse Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heating upstairs breaks, and operations move downstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> garbage hour! garbage hour!

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 10:50am

 

"It's so cold in here..." Angela murmured, pulling her coat off the rack and wrapping it around her body. Fareeha had already brought over her own leather jacket, but it hadn't been enough against the early December chill.

"I know, right? I wish Winston would get some space heaters or something in here, jeez..." Mei complained, rubbing her arms to generate a little warmth. "It's nice of Fareeha to give you her jacket though. If only Jamie were that considerate."

 

_"Our heating broke a little bit ago." Winston admitted, leaning against his desk. "As manager, I've been brainstorming some ideas on how to fix this. Corporate has made it clear that space heaters aren't part of the budget, and I'd have to pay for them myself. Small sacrifice, but those can get expensive. So, Lúcio and I discussed it. And, no space heaters. But, I talked with the warehouse foreman about our predicament and we may have a... Solution."_

 

Winston emerged from his office wearing a parka, standing in the doorway, surveying the office. "Alright everyone- I know that the heating situation has brought down morale up here! So, we're going to fix that!"

"Are we getting space heaters?" Hanzo asked, his tea already cold.

"No, we are not. Too expensive! No budget here."

"So work's cancelled then? So that they can repair the heating?" Hana asked, already packing up her things.

"Nope, but you have the right idea in packing up! We are going to move down to the warehouse, where they do have space heaters. Alright, everyone, get your stuff together and let's move!"

 

_"I don't have a problem with having to work down in the warehouse. Not at all. I just think it's slightly unreasonable that we are expected to work in an unfamiliar environment that is entirely unable to be altered." Satya complained, staring directly at the camera. "It's unreasonable. I work in a place conductive to my efficiency. Give me hypothermia over an incorrect establishment."_

 

"My warehouse, my rules." Aleksandra ordered, gesturing to a clump of desks set up in between two supply shelves. "Sit there. Do not touch my equipment, do not bother my workers."

The upstairs staff took their seats where they'd been directed, Lena lingering behind, which Aleksandra didn't seem to mind. Mei frowned slightly, sitting at the seat Angela'd saved for her. Fareeha had decided to sit across from them, occasionally stealing glances up towards Angela, the pair both giggling when they made eye contact.

Lena returned to her seat beside Mei after a few moments, placed at the edge of their cluster. She leaned her elbow against the desk, making eye contact with Aleksandra across the warehouse as the Russian began to load the trucks. Angela and Fareeha had started discussing whether or not it was more ideal to adopt a dog or a baby, Fareeha loyally taking the dog's side, while Angela was determined to win for the baby.

Once the trucks had been loaded, Aleksandra came by Lena's desk as Mei made herself busy with filling out customer complaint cards she'd left before work got out the day before.

"I thought we could stay at my apartment, watch one of those romantic-coms? Maybe I'll make you one of my mother's old recipes?" Aleksandra volunteered, Lena nodding happily. "So we have a date."

 

_"I'm not opposed to romance in the workplace, really I'm not. I mean, come on, I'm engaged to Jamie. But it's distracting! Sorry I'm not interested in your human ping pong game, with Aleksandra going back and forth, back and forth. Really, it's too much." Mei sighed, brushing her hair out of her face._

 

_"Lena and I have begun a relationship." Aleksandra said, smiling. "It's casual, as Mei has helped me to say. Nothing too serious. We see each other enough at work, share some lunch breaks together. I have to occasionally not see Mei for English tutoring, but it's okay. Lena and I spend time together."_

 

"Hey, Angela. Do you want some of my coffee?" Fareeha offered, holding out the metal container. Angela nodded, taking it with a sly smile. She chugged the rest of the liquid inside, handing it back to Fareeha with a tiny giggle.

 

_"My mother is visiting for the holidays. To repay us for letting her stay at our house, she brought some really nice, really strong European liquor." Angela said, holding up the metal container, Fareeha grabbing her arm and giggling. "It's making today a little more tolerable."_

 

"Oh shoot." Angela sighed, looking around her makeshift desk. "I left something in my purse. Fareeha, come get it with me." 

Fareeha nodded enthusiastically, standing up and stumbling over to the coatrack where Angela had hung up her purse. Hana stared at them, squinting before looking around the desk cluster. "Is everybody just going to ignore the fact that they're both drinking at work?"

Jesse shrugged, and Winston shook his head, straightening up at his chair. "This office is a place of fun. And the warehouse is a place of double fun. See, Aleksandra is being very accommodating by letting Fareeha and Angela drink, and doing whatever she's doing with Lena." He gestured over to the pair.

In the corner of the warehouse, Lena and Aleksandra were cuddling together on a bag of foam peanuts, Aleksandra showing Lena pictures of her dog on her phone. Every so often, Lena would exclaim about how sweet the puppy was, then pepper Aleksandra's face with kisses, commenting on how sweet  _she_ was. 

"Jamison- why don't you ever spoil your girl like that at work?" Jesse teased, leaning back in his chair, swiveling slightly. The salesmen had been running into a bit of trouble with finding leads, and even Lena had been struggling to make sales. Nobody's work was in jeopardy yet, it just gave them more free time to harass the other members of the office. 

With a dry laugh, Jamison looked up from his spreadsheets. "'Cause she gets enough spoilin' at home, don't ya, Mei?"

Mei nodded blankly, before smiling up at Jesse. "Yeah, Jamie spoils me plenty. We're fine without any intervention. Thanks, though, for your concern over my lovelife, Jesse."

"Gotta look out for my friends here!" Jesse protested, leaning over to ruffle her hair. Slapping away his hands, Mei rolled her eyes and returned to customer complaint cards, finishing up Lucy from Mareza's complaint that Fareeha had sounded "tipsy" on the phone. Mei decided to personally amend the complaint for the sake of accuracy, crossing out tipsy and replacing it with "wasted."

 

At lunch, everybody gathered around the center of the warehouse, perching up on the pallets. Aleksandra and Lena had decided to hang out in the foreman's office, Aleksandra producing two tupperware containers of soup, passing one to Lena and keeping the other for herself. Mei looked over at them through the window, then returned her gaze back to Jamison, who was cracking open a beer with Mako, on the other side of the warehouse.

Fareeha was stretched out on a pallet, Angela lying with her head on her stomach. "We should move to a townhouse in the suburbs... And have lots and lots of babies and own lots and lots of dogs." Angela mused, playing with Fareeha's tie.

"Does that mean we have lots of..." Fareeha looked around, giggling as she did, " _Sex_?"

Giggling, Angela nodded and the two dissolved into a fit of obnoxious laughter. Hana grabbed one of Lúcio's earbuds, stuffing it in her left ear in an attempt to drown them both out. Hanzo and Jesse and taken up a pallet together, sitting in silence as Hanzo picked through his salad and Jesse dug into his burger like a starved wolf. The warehouse sleepily moved around them, Bastion moving a few boxes of catheters back onto a shelf, while Lena and Aleksandra's lunch played out in slow motion through the rectangular window into the foreman's office.

 

_"No, Jamie and I haven't set a date for the wedding yet. I think, um, maybe in the fall? We're not all that ready, so we'll need all of next year to prepare... He doesn't really like to discuss wedding planning. He thinks it's boring. My mom is very helpful though. Aleksandra helped me pick the flowers and, um, the band." Mei said, nodding slightly. "Yeah, she's been helpful. I wanted to have her come dress shopping with me, but she's probably busy with Lena. I just feel bad, you know? We used to be a lot closer, it's a shame."_

_"I used to actually have a crush on Mei. When I first started up until about... I started dating Lena." Aleksandra said, leaning her head against her fist. She looked around the interviewing space, adjusting her uniform's stiff collar. "It's not healthy to be interested in a woman who is to marry somebody who is not you. Lena is a beautiful woman. She's very smart, very funny. Very flexible."_

 

Satya stood between Lena and Mei's desks with her arms crossed, glaring over at Fareeha, who was trying her drunken best to make a decent sales call. Mei looked away from watching Aleksandra wink and wave to Lena, smiling gently at Satya. "Satya, can I-?"

"Make them stop. They are disruptive to my working environment, and thus damaging my productivity and efficiency. This is a nuisance, non-conductive to my work here." She pursed her lips in a tight line, looking furiously to Mei. "Do you not agree?"

"Oh my God, yes! It's so irritating. You know, I'm actually only supposed to report customer complaints, so you'd be better off talking to Angela about it." Mei complained, sighing hard.

"She's the problem though! She and Fareeha, drinking all day, and now non-stop giggling and talking! I cannot work like this." Satya groaned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh. Um, yeah, I'll grab the forms off Angela's desk and file them." Mei promised, nodding to Satya reliably. The accountant nodded back, before making her way back to her own desk. Quietly, Mei reached over for a stack of papers on Angela's desk, pulling the cap off her pen and scribbling in information.

 

Mako had started a pot of coffee in the foreman's office. It was about three o'clock, Mei had hit her usual Thursday slump, and needed something to perk her up. She grabbed her mug off her desk, decorated with her cat's paw prints and drawings of snowflakes. It had been a birthday gift from Aleksandra, who had gotten the paw prints from Mei's mother, and then printed them on the mug herself. 

She grabbed the pot from the machine, pouring herself half a mug before going on the search for creamer. Aleksandra drank her coffee black, and never kept creamer in her office. Groaning, Mei set her mug down, rubbing her face.

"Looking for cream?"

Mei turned around to meet Aleksandra's eyes. She was holding a bottle of sugar cookie creamer, exactly Mei's favorite.

"Have you started keeping creamer in here?" Mei asked, reaching out.

"Oh no, Lena likes creamer in her coffee and I remembered that you liked this kind, so I went out and got some." Aleksandra said, setting the bottle on the desk. Mei took it quickly, flicking off the cap and pouring a decent amount into her coffee. She pulled a spoon off the counter where the machine was kept, stirring her coffee gently.

"Does Lena like sugar cookie creamer too? What a weird coincidence."

Aleksandra shook her head, plopping down heavily in her desk chair. "No, she likes... Cinammon kind. But she can tolerate sugar cookies and you looked like you weren't having a very good day."

Looking up from her coffee, Mei smiled at Aleksandra, sipping experimentally. "Thank you. Hey, do you want to meet up tomorrow for tutoring?"

"How about we get some done now?" Aleksandra asked, shrugging. "I can convince Winston to give you a fifteen minute break."

Mei nodded, sitting down across from her, grabbing a notepad and pen from Aleksandra's work space. "Alright. Let's start with words to describe people with, okay? You had a problem with that last week. So first, we can begin with positive adjectives. We're exhausting good, excellent, pleasant, nice, words of that variety. So, let's try something new."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm probably going to edit this after i get a few more chapters posted but w/e *shrug emoji*


	3. Christmas Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The office Christmas party leads to a lot of admissions, some realizations, and a little bit of heartbreak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are so much appreciated!! i have over 700 views, more than 50 kudos and 2 comments that arent my replies. i work really hard on these, even if it doesn't show it. it takes maybe a minute to type out "i really like this story" and submit the comment. please guys omg......
> 
>  
> 
> this is a lot of drama

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 10:15pm

 

_"We throw our annual Christmas party on a company budget of $250, plus whatever people decide they want to donate. It's usually pretty fun. The warehouse staff will come up, we do Secret Santa. Satya is the head of the party planning committee, so usually Angela, Lena and I all run behind her back and just make a really nice party." Mei said. She was dressed in an aqua turtleneck, with a red santa's cap on. "Satya's idea of a good Christmas party is putting Santa shaped cookies, sugar-free juice boxes and some streamers in the conference room. She thinks the fake tree is 'excessive' and 'disrespectful to the fundamental elements of design.'"_

 

"Okay everybody, just a reminder that the party planning committee will be accepting donations for the Christmas party starting now, and going until lunch." Satya said, standing at the front of the conference room, holding out a banking envelope. "And no, Jamison, thirty two cents and a gum wrapper doesn't not count as a donation. You, as an accountant, should know that."

Jamison laughed, roughly wrapping an arm around Mei's shoulders. "Baby, come on, three bucks outcha purse?" He asked, prodding gently at her bicep. Mei shifted uncomfortably, nodding.

"Who wants to canvas for cash downstairs?" Angela asked, looking over at Mei. "You know everybody down there. And you know Aleksandra the best, and she has the biggest paycheck, right, Satya?"

"I won't tell you."

Mei shrugged, "I guess I do. I don't really want to go and try and exploit my friendship with Aleksandra for money though. No 'but we're friends,' I'll just-"

"Hey! I should go down! I'm  _dating_ Aleksandra, come on. I can just tell her I need a lil somethin', and she'll  _totally_ give me at least ten bucks!" Lena exclaimed, practically popping out of her chair. "And it isn't like I'll turn down an excuse to see her..."

 

 _"I didn't realize Lena and Aleksandra were engaged in any type of a relationship." Satya murmured, staring off. "I simply thought Aleksandra was coming upstairs to see Mei... I thought_ they  _were dating and that Jamison's talk of an engagement was just his usual desperation..."_

 

"Hey, Hana, can you send out this fax for me? And give this to Satya?" Lúcio leaned over the counter, dropping a few twenties onto Hana's desk. 

She picked them up excitedly, holding them up to the light like she'd learned to do from her brief part-time employment at the supermarket. "Holy shit, where'd you get this? And why are you giving  _Satya_ sixty bucks? Give me sixty bucks!"

"Because she's nice enough to throw the office a nice Christmas party. I got it from DJing, it's my 'second job.' I put that in quotes because there's differing opinions. My mother calls it a hobby, my father calls it pointless, and my grandmother calls it 'what the hell is a DJ?'" Lúcio teased, "And I'll give you money, if you  _earn_ it. Isn't that why your dad gave you this job? To teach you the value of hard work or something?"

"My dad gave me this job because he's an asshole. It's a stupid job, and I  _hate_ it. But then I have to act all appreciative because he gave me a 'nice' job and he could've given me a job like Bastion has."

"Or no job at all."

"Perks of your softie dad running a major medical supplies company. Hey, when are you DJing next?"

 

Lena came down the stairs to the warehouse carrying the banking envelope Satya had given her and a small paper bag from the bakery down the street. She made her way into the foreman's office, where Aleksandra was completing order confirmation forms with extreme concentration, only looking up when Lena set the bag on her desk.

"A cookie for my cookie." She cooed, placing a kiss on Aleksandra's forehead. When the larger woman went to take the bag, Lena grabbed her by the wrist. "You get it in exchange for ten dollars towards the office Christmas party. The cookie was three dollars, my presence is five, and the kiss was two."

Aleksandra chuckled, taking her wallet from her back pocket with her other hand. Once Lena released her, she pulled a twenty out, handing it over. "Your presence is worth much more, _pchelka_. How about after party, we go and get dinner together? My treat."

"Of course, love." Leaning over again, Lena took Aleksandra in for a deeper kiss, leaving the twenty abandoned on her desk.

 

_"Around this time of year, my biggest sale's contract expires. So, I'm a little on edge. When that phone rings, I have to swoop in like a raptor on an animal carcass and make that sale." Fareeha said, through gritted teeth. "I have avoided any potential distractions today. I have had ten cups of coffee in the past three hours to keep me on high alert, my phone volume is maximum, I put a curtain up in the annex window so I can't look at Angela today. This sale either gets us a new house or sends us back to eating cup of noodles."_

 

Fareeha sat at the edge of her desk chair, computer off, hands trembling despite her intense glare at the phone. She had one hand on the receiver, jostling it slightly on the cradle, the other trying to hold as steady as possible to the mug of coffee slowly rising to her lips.

"I say another hour 'til she breaks." Jesse voted, crowded around Reinhardt's desk with Lena.

"Another hour? Give it fifteen." Reinhardt snorted, looking Fareeha up and down. "The girl can hardly keep from shaking, she'll lose it soon."

"Someone give her another cup, I think she's done enough to deserve it." Lena said, leaning against the desk.

The phone rang once, and Fareeha dove, bringing the reciever up to her ear, hand shaking even worse. "Fareeha Amari, Overwatch Medical Supplies... Hello there, Mr. Hollick, yes, let's sort out next years contract."

 

_"It's in the bag." Fareeha gloated, chugging her last mug of coffee._

 

* * *

 

 

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar -  5:45pm

 

Mei, Lena, and Angela had taken the party into their own hands, like every year. Satya had been content to criticize from afar, but eventually was content with their plans. The warehouse staff had come up, Mako sitting with Jamison at the edge of the crowd, the pair cracking open beers together.

"Hey, Angela." Fareeha murmured, coming up to her wife, "I closed the deal today."

Angela gasped, gripping Fareeha's bicep. "So, we're moving then? Two bathrooms? Fareeha!"

"I thought maybe the new house wouldn't be our only reward... You know, the supply closet in the break room is bigger on the inside." She teased, holding Angela close. The pair excused themselves from the room, blaming a need for pop.

 

When Mei looked around, Aleksandra was gone. She'd come in, kissed Lena, and spent the next ten minutes standing against the wall with Hanzo, Jesse, and Reinhardt, joking about something Mei couldn't hear over the Christmas music playing in the background. She looked through the window to the break room, seeing Aleksandra standing in front of the vending machine.

 

_"I guess when she first started here I thought Aleksandra was kind of cute." Mei admitted, shrugging casually. "She has a nice personality, a nice attitude towards life. You know. Appealing things."_

 

"Hey there. Like the party?" Mei asked, standing behind Aleksandra.

"Oh, hi. You did an excellent job." Aleksandra said, smiling. "Pardon, we discussed this.  _Marvelous_ job."

In a moment of rash decision making, Mei stood on her tip toes, slung her arms over Aleksandra's shoulders and behind her neck, pulling her down just close enough for their lips to fit together. They stood together for several moments, Aleksandra's right hand finding it's way to Mei's back before they both pulled away, Aleksandra half reluctant to separate. 

They stood hardly a foot apart, Aleksandra's hand still lingering. Neither moved, neither said anything. The air was thick with tension, the undone hanging in the air and the done sitting thickly on the ground.

"I don't think you should marry Jamison." Aleksandra whispered, her hand firmly on Mei's back now, her stance clear.

"I-I don't think I should have kissed you." Mei replied, turning swiftly on her heel to break the contact before moving back to the conference room.

 

Fareeha's back was pressed up tightly against the door to the supply room, her breath low to keep herself incognito. She'd learned plenty of stealth tips from her time in the military, but she had never learned how to be truly under the radar while trapped in a supply room while two of her coworkers kissed directly outside the door. Angela's hand was tight against her side, and she readjusted as quietly as possible, relaxing more once she heard Aleksandra follow Mei out a minute and a half following the latter's departure.

"Fareeha..." Angela whispered, her voice low to avoid detection.

"Shh, they could come back." Fareeha replied, staying at the same volume. "We pretend like we heard nothing."

 

Mei picked her satchel up off the floor, adjusting her coat collar and walking up to Jamison. "Jamie- I want to go home. Now." She said, grabbing him by the wrist and gently tugging him towards the door.

"Hey, hey, not so pushy! Come on, gimme five more seconds with the boys." Jamison taunted, pulling her back. "Go wait out in the hall."

Nodding, Mei walked out. She leaned up against the wall, before sliding down to the floor, heavy tears falling onto her gloves, leaving darker circles behind, the moisture absorbing right into the fabric. The first few waves of tears were silent, and then came sharp sobs that wracked her body, leaving her to try and swallow them with painful, heaving breaths. 

 

_"No, I don't know what I thought. I don't know what I wanted." Mei whispered, before dissolving into more tears. She wiped her eyes before covering her mouth with her gloved hand, trying to stifle her loudest sobs. After a few moments, she regained her composition long enough to stare into the camera with red, teary eyes. "I think I just wanted her to kiss back, but I don't know why I'm so upset that she did."_

 

_"Why did I kiss her back? Because she taught me English, because she gave me the longest hug when my grandfather passed, because she always saved me some of the dumplings that I like when her mother cooks them..." Aleksandra responded, leaning heavily against her hand, tears welling up in her own eyes. "Why didn't I disagree with what she said? Because she's engaged."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TOO MUCH D R A M A


	4. Ethics Seminar: Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela and Mei are forced to run an ethics seminar on behalf of corporate following reported misconduct, but the end result is just more misconduct.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for comments!! i really enjoy reading them and they inspire me to continue to write!! i hope my chapter length is good for everybody and i hope you all enjoy it!

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 10:20am

 

_"Um, yes, I did decide to break my engagement to Jamie." Mei said, twisting at her bare ring finger awkwardly. "There were just so many things that weren't right about it."_

 

_"Lena and Aleksandra went to Russia together to visit Aleksandra's parents. It seemed a little soon, but considering the break room incident at the Christmas party, I think Aleksandra is willing to do whatever." Fareeha admitted, looking up at the camera in a mix of shock and stale horror. "I still can't get it out of my mind, so I can only imagine how she feels about it."_

 

"Hey, Mei." Angela started towards the customer service desk carrying two binders and a thick stack of papers. "Listen, corporate says there's been some recent misconduct at some branches and would like us to do an ethics seminar together. I talk about misconduct in the workplace, you talk about misconduct towards customers."

"Oh jeez, misconduct?" Mei asked, turning around in her chair with genuine concern on her face.

"Yeah, um, just some uncomfortable situations. They didn't share too much in the file."

 

_"I reported them both." Angela said matter-of-factly, staring directly at the camera._

 

"Everybody! Today, Angela and Mei will be leading our ethics seminar." Winston announced, standing at the edge of the office floor. "Corporate has reported cases of 'misconduct' at certain branches, the details of which are slightly hazy, but regardless! Ethics seminar, conference room. Thank you everybody."

Fareeha raised an eyebrow, gathering her coffee mug and phone before heading into the conference room with a wary look towards Angela. She bristled, passing out papers.

"These are ethics quizzes, please fill yours out within the next fifteen minutes so we can begin reviewing answers promptly." Angela called out, avoiding eye contact.

 

_"I'm pissed that Mei says she's out! Totally fuckin' pissed!" Jamison shouted, leg twitching angrily. "She say anythin' to you guys? Did she... Did she find out?"_

 

Jamison stared hard at Satya, who was filling out the ethics form with her usual meticulousness, leaning close to the paper to ensure every bubble was properly filled out, with no stray marks or imperfections within the bubble. She set the form in her lap, staring over at Jamison with skepticism. He tapped his hand against the chair arm, and Satya got up.

"I have an important call with Mr. Morrison in three and a half minutes. You know very well, Angela, that unlike some people here-" Satya gave a pointed glare in Mei's direction, "-do not partake in immoral and unethical actions, such as bringing sugary hot chocolate to work and forcing people to stare at pictures of my cat, so I believe I am free to abandon this seminar."

Mei threw both her hands up, "I just have pictures of Snowflake at my desk, Satya, what is your problem with her."

"Boss man is always the most important." Winston decided, pointing out the door.

"I'll need Jamison to join me. He works numbers while I talk. Let's go." Satya gestured towards the door, walking out quickly with small, impatient strides. Jamison followed her closely, standing close enough to feel her warmth when she sat down at her desk.

"Why did Mei break your engagement." Satya demanded, picking up the receiver and pretending to dial a number. 

"She won't tell me nothin'! I ask her, I say, Mei, you heard some rumors? You just feel it ain't right? She just picks up her boxes and goes!" Jamison exclaimed, hopping up on the desk.

Satya narrowed her eyes, looking him up and down. "I doubt it. We were careful. She probably was just in it for some cheap fun and when things didn't go her way... She jumped ship." She examined the conference room, noting that the blinds had been drawn to prevent any distraction. Immediately, Satya went to unbuttoning her blouse, shoving Jamison hard up against the wall, "Five minutes."

 

_"I've been shaggin' Satya for the past... Two years? Interfered with my engagement to Mei, but never in a way that did anybody any harm. She never found out, an' you never tell her._ _" Jamison ordered, leaning close to the camera. "Never."_

 

 _"I have an imported comforter, ten pillows, and silk sheets. I read a chapter of a book while listening to my bird, and it's lights out by nine thirty._ That's  _how I sleep at night." Satya snapped, closing the last button on her blouse with finality._

 

"Alright, let's go over these ethics quizzes!" Angela enthused, holding the papers in her arms. "Number one- using a company phone and company time for personal phone calls is unethical. The ideal answer is totally agree, although some of you  _did_ select 'strongly agree' which is not the same as totally agree, and is in fact less desirable as an answer than totally agree."

Reinhardt half raised his hand, looking confused. "I thought strongly agree was a stronger term than totally agree."

Shaking her head, Angela responded with, "Corporate would like to emphasize that totally agree is the ideal answer. Moving on to number two, office romances are fundamentally inappropriate. I noticed some mixed answers on here and once again, the answer is 'it depends.' Relationships between two people in one department are strongly discouraged, and any relationships between a superior and the human resources representative are inappropriate and unethical."

"Wait, then how come you and Fareeha both get to work here?" Hana asked, looking between the both of them.

"Because Fareeha is in a position of equality with everybody here except for Jesse, Lúcio, Winston, and I. Therefore, she is not expected to be a superior to anybody and cannot abuse her relationship with me as a way to get any of you in trouble." Angela explained, "Onto the next question, having intercourse at work is inappropriate. We had two strongly disagrees and I would like to emphasize that if you selected those, I would like to have a brief conversation with you in my office when this is over."

Winston stood beside Angela, nudging her gently. "You're losing them, Ang."

"What?" She asked, looking at Winston skeptically.

"Energize the conversation, here you know what- who here has engaged in unethical behavior at work?" Nobody raised their hands, and Winston shook his head. "Somebody, shoutout your unethical behavior here! You will receive total immunity!"

Angela quickly shook her head, but Hana still piped up, "Sometimes when I'm bored, I download illegal music onto my work computer."

"O-Oh, Hana we should-" Angela began, cut off by Hanzo.

"Occasionally I take a long lunch. Are we finished here?"

"I've gotten naked for a client or two." Jesse admitted, shrugging nonchalantly. The room stopped, Angela quietly pulling the firing forms out of her binder while Winston stared the salesman down.

 

_"I've had to fire four people in my eight years here. I hated it every single time." Angela confided, wringing her hands. "To tell the truth, I've fired people for much less. If Jesse can get out of this, he deserves to."_

 


	5. Ethics Seminar: Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela is faced with confronting Jesse's ethical dilemma and Corporate's difficult approach to morally disagreeable situations. Mei decides to resolve her own unethical behavior.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love comments! please keep sending them in, thank you so much for reading and commenting and kudos-ing and bookmarking! it means so much!

Krasnoyarsk, Russia - 3:30pm

 

_"I took Lena with me to Russia because she has not taken no. I tell her to stay, she says she must meet my mother before she dies, because Lena thinks we will be married and she'd like to know her 'future mother-in-law.' Lena gets along very well with my mother." Aleksandra said, leaning back in her chair._

_"Do you have anything to add about the Christmas party?" A producer asked from behind the camera._

_Aleksandra's eyes went wide, shifting in her seat. "I was drunk."_

 

"Aleksandra- your mum is so cute! I helped her make some pastries this morning! She keeps calling me Mei though, is that some sort of Russian pet name?" Lena asked, fingers curled sweetly around Aleksandra's bicep. Aleksandra nodded reluctantly, placing a long kiss on her girlfriend's cheek, earning giggles and a tighter grip on her arm.

 

_"My mother has thought that Mei and I were dating." Aleksandra admitted, "Since every time I call home, I mention Mei. So, she thinks Lena is Mei... Which could not be more opposite..."_

 

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 10:45am

 

"Jesse, these are some serious conduct violations. You are essentially selling yourself on behalf of the company! Th-That's not only a violation of company policy, but a major legal violation as well!" Angela exclaimed, standing behind Winston's desk with the manager, staring directly at Jesse. He looked to have no shame, just a hint of anxiety. "You could very well be fired, I-I'll be damned if you  _don't_."

Winston leaned forward, making eye contact with Jesse. "Listen... Angela makes some very valid points here, Jesse, points which I think you should listen to. However, I think firing is drastic."

"Winston, firing is the bare minimum-"

"Angela. Please. I can get through to him." After earning an exaggerated eyeroll from Angela, Winston returned to his lecture, "We're going to keep you on. No suspension, but just know that you have earned the shame of this branch, the shame of corporate."

"No, Winston! Jesse has to be  _fired_. That's standard protocol in a situation in which an employee blatantly admits to prostituting themselves for what- what where you doing this for?" Angela demanded, sighing heavily.

Jesse shifted in the chair, folding his hands in his lap. "They'd buy three extra shipments. I thought I had immunity...?"

" _Three_? Oh my God, Jesse. We can't sweep that under the rug." Winston groaned, rubbing his temples.

"No, no, we are not sweeping  _anything_ under the rug! Especially not this!" Angela shouted.

 

_"Angela is a bit of a nervous wreck constantly. She has a very strong sense of morality, and when somebody objects to that she gets very angry about it." Fareeha said, nodding soberly. "Last week, we went to an adoption meeting, and I told the child that I would be a fire gym leader. The whole ride home she told about how ethically corrupt that is."_

 

_"Does she not understand the ethical connotations of fire?" Angela started, "I mean, really, Fareeha? You want to be morally associated with fire? Burning, destruction?"_

 

"Angela." Fareeha said, voice low, positioned next to her wife's desk. "Don't let your morals get the better of you. I know you can look at this rationally and logically."

Gaping, Angela stared up at Fareeha. "Really? You think what Jesse did is even remotely acceptable?"

"No, no, no. I'm just saying that maybe... You're giving too harsh of a punishment."

"Fareeha, I am following  _protocol_!"

"Maybe you should break protocol!"

Angela scoffed, turning her back to Fareeha, picking up her phone reciever and dialing the corporate number. "Hello, Angela Ziegler for Jack Morrison."

 

"Corporate believes-  _incorrectly_ believes that Jeese's actions were in the best interest of the company and that we should not pass up the deal for more clients, and more money. While I totally disagree with this opinion, Jesse's job here is safe." Angela announced to the packed conference room, stiff as a board.

Fareeha stuck her tongue out playfully, earning the cold shoulder back.

 

_"No, I don't like it when Angela loses. I like it when I win." Fareeha gave a fist pump in the air, sticking her tongue out once again._

* * *

 

 

_FIVE DAYS LATER_

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 11:55am

 

"Hey! You're back." Mei said, standing in the doorway of Aleksandra's office. The foreman waved, a wide smile on her face. "Do you mind if we talk?"

"Not at all. Here, I got you something in Russia." Aleksandra got out of her chair, pulling a small parcel out of her backpack before shutting the office door. After getting readjusted in her chair, she handed it over to Mei.

She unwrapped it carefully, setting the twine aside like she'd done as an overly meticulous child. Pulling away the brown paper, she let out a small laugh. "A cat matryoshka doll? Oh my gosh, that's so cute. Thank you, Aleksandra."

"Of course."

"Um, I don't mean to make things awkward or weird, but I wanna just let you know... I don't want things to be weird with us. You're my best friend here, and Lena is such a good friend of mine, and I wouldn't want to jeopardize my friendship with either of you." Mei said, looking Aleksandra in the eye earnestly.

Aleksandra shook her head, closing her eyes. "I was drunk."

"No you-"

"I was drunk, Mei. Entirely  _wasted_." Aleksandra insisted, a harsh edge in her voice now. "I did something drunkenly, and nothing is weird, okay?"

Mei paused, processing what she said before giving a small nod. "Okay."

 

_"No, I'm glad that Aleksandra and I cleared things up. I don't know why I thought things would be weird or different." Mei said, tears filling her eyes as she pressed the back of her hand to her nose, trying to stifle sniffles. "I don't know why I thought things would change."_

 

_"I wish I was drunk." Aleksandra said, leaning back heavily in her chair as a lone tear made it's way down her cheek, quickly eliminated by the swift movement of her index finger._


	6. Suggestion Box

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winston forgets that Jack Morrison is visiting to gather suggestions on how to improve their company, and opens a suggestion box to gather ideas. Fareeha loses her temper with being the underdog of the office, and challenges Winston directly, inciting a Ziegler mutiny in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for the comments! once again- they're always appreciated, so please comment at will!
> 
> this is one of my favorite office us episodes and i couldnt help but to put it in this au w some s9 stuff thrown in lol
> 
> ALSO IMPORTANT:  
> im so sorry my updates are slow rn im staying with my grandmother who limits my computer use. bllleh

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 10:30am

 

"Alright, Winston, I'll see you at around noon?"

Winston paused at his boss' statement. He went through a mental list of appointments he had to keep, accounting for every usual moment when a disgruntled Satya would come in to complain about the rest of her department. "Um... Noon, Jack?"

"Noon. When I'll be coming in from Indianapolis. To hear your improvements to the company." Jack snapped, his frustration clear over the phone. "I want to hear good suggestions, Winston. None of the bullshit I get from Tokyo or Albany, got it? I want crystal clear ideas."

Before Winston could respond, the call ended. 

 

_"I would say I get along well with Jack Morrison. He's my boss, but he's also a friend. He has two beautiful children, Hana and Bastion, both of whom are my dear employees. Very good guy all around. He sometimes will bring his dog into the office, that's always very exciting." Winston said._

 

Leaning over the reception counter, Winston scanned Hana's desk, ignoring the several empty bottles of energy drinks and otherwise filthy surroundings. "Hana, do you remember a suggestion box of some sort?"

"Suggestion box? No." Hana snorted, setting her elbows on the desk and leaning on her hands. 

"Must've been before your time..." Winston murmured, straightening and looking around. "Hey, Fareeha! You remember the suggestion box?"

After a moment of consideration, Fareeha nodded. "From when I started here? Are we bringing it back?"

"Yes we are! I need as many suggestions as possible before noon on how to improve this company, alright? That goes for everyone. I'll leave you all to it, but remember! As many suggestions by noon. Make us look good for Jack Morrison's visit, alright guys? Just toss them up to Hana, who's job until noon is to find the old suggestion box." Winston encouraged, before heading back to his desk.

 

_"When I first started here, we did suggestion box meetings every month. For the most part, they were little things like, please clean the toilet stall better once you use it, stop using conference room meetings as a public forum for your relationship issues, actually lock the doors when we leave so my iPod stops being stolen." Fareeha said, shrugging, "The small stuff."_

 

"What suggestions do you have?" Reinhardt asked the other salesmen, all furiously working on their own index cards. He held a small stack in his hand, collecting the office's suggestions to put in the box.

"Less snakes in my boots." Jesse confirmed, holding a card up for Reinhardt to take.

"An office cat." Lena said, tossing hers up as well.

"New boss- named Fareeha Amari." Fareeha teased, handing hers over.

 

_"Yes, I have been looking at a management position for the past year or three. Or four. Or five. I've actually asked Winston to put me up for a management position several times. When the Giza branch manager got fired due to serious fraud, I asked Winston to give me a recommendation to Morrison. I'm actually from Giza, so I thought I'd be a shoe-in. Yeah, turns out Winston never recommended me because I'm his top saleswoman and he didn't want to lose me." Fareeha deadpanned, glaring at the camera. Gritting her teeth, she continued, "So I'm asking Morrison for Winston's job."_

 

_"Fareeha gets very competitive sometimes. Especially when her job is involved. As her wife, I know firsthand how hard Fareeha takes rejection in the workplace." Angela confided, smiling sympathetically. "Last year, when the Giza scandal happened and she found out Winston never recommended her, Fareeha went on a two hour long run, then when she came home, she punched a hole in our wall, and kicked a hole in the other wall. Then, when she finished with that, she was too tired to do anything else but too angry to sleep, so she sobbed on the floor for half an hour until she passed out. I already have a contractor on speed dial in case her plan doesn't work out."_

 

Jack Morrison arrived promptly at noon, with his golden retriever, Soldier. Initially, Hana had been too absorbed in her distractions from work to notice her father, but once he'd gotten her attention, there was a squeal-filled reunion, complete with tears and extra hugging. Winston gathered the office in the conference room, waiting for Hana and her father to finish their brief catching up. 

Once everyone had gathered in the conference room, Winston took the suggestion box from Hana, opening it up.

"Alright... Now, Jack, this is your first real experience with the brilliance of these employees. I had everybody submit to our monthly suggestion box, and you get the rare treat of seeing it opened." Winston said, reaching in to grab a card from the bottom. "Alright... First suggestion- teach employees how to defend themselves better, from... Gerard? Come on, when did we ever have a Gérard, is this some kind of prank?"

"That must be Gérard Lacroix... He worked here about three years ago, he was murdered by a hitman on his way home from work..." Angela whispered. The entire room went silent, Winston staring at the card in his hand.

"Okay. Well." Winston began, reaching for another card, "I'm sure Gérard would've wanted us to continue on... Next suggestion, from Jesse Mc- okay. There are  _no_ snakes in this office, and certainly none in your boot. Next. Fareeha Amari! You would like... Alright, moving on."

"What is it?' Jack asked, leaning over to see the card.

Yanking away the card, Winston tossed it towards the trashcan, watching it bounce off the rim. Lúcio reached over for it, uncrumpling it carefully, scanning the words briefly. "Fareeha wants to be the new boss. Holy shit, I can see that!"

The conference room buzzed with enthusiasm at the thought of Fareeha in charge, Winston sending a regretful look towards Jack, who looked less than happy. Fareeha was half reclined in her chair, arms folded behind her head with confidence.

 

_"This wouldn't be happening if I were in Giza." Fareeha smirked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms._

 

"Fareeha Amari... She wanted to be put up for the branch management in Giza, when the scandal broke, asked for my recommendation specifically." Winston said, extending Fareeha's customer service file to Jack, who was carefully reviewing her sales.

"And why didn't you give me it? This woman misses a sale a year, she is a shark when it comes to sales. The most competitive salesperson I've seen her since I was a salesman- blood in the water- she will  _go for it_. How the hell did you let her slip through? If she was managing Giza right now, this company would be significantly better off!" Jack snapped, slamming the file down angrily. "Why is she not in Giza right now!"

"We couldn't afford to lose her. This branch was... Experiencing a rough patch, and we needed Fareeha's sales." Winston lied, avoiding eye contact.

"I want Fareeha in here.  _Now_."

 

"I'm going to be honest with you, Fareeha. You should've gotten that job in Giza. Winston not recommending you was the dumbest thing I've ever heard of and I don't know why he did it. Now, we have a good manager in Giza right now. You're an excellent salesperson, Fareeha, you'd do a much better job, but we can't really afford to give him severance right now, and we'd like to avoid any turbulence at that branch for the time being." Jack said, shaking his head, "But, we'd like to offer you a management position at corporate in Indianapolis. You'd be overseeing our entire Western hemisphere, ensuring cohesiveness and harmony between branches. How does that sound?"

 

Bastion lay on the ratty couch in the warehouse, the one Aleksandra had brought from her old apartment when she'd first moved to the States. He'd helped to move it in fact, despite Aleksandra's strong insistence that she didn't need anybody to help her. Working at Gibraltar had provided him freedom to help coworkers move, his father was a nice man, if not stifling. Though Bastion had figured that was most fathers. He looked around the warehouse, spotting Aleksandra counting pallets being loaded by Mako onto one of the trucks with the forklift. 

"Hey, Aleksandra?" Bastion called out.

"I am working, Bastion." She replied, her eyes still on the pallets, counting each one with the butt of her pen.

"Did your dad ever give you stuff without you asking?"

"I grew up in poverty and my father died before I was fifteen, next question."

"If you were better off, would he have?"

"No. You work for what you want in the Zaryanova home."

"My dad gives me a lot of stuff."

"Because he cares for you."

"But I don't work for any of it! I'm just a big, strong guy, and so he gives me a job here."

"Those are the qualifications, Bastion. Now get up and help Mako load pallets."

 

_"I'm pretty sure Aleksandra was just trying to get me to shut up and make me stop talking about her dead dad, but I know that she was trying to help me deep down." Bastion said, smiling widely. "She's good at nonverbal communication."_

 

_"Bastion has worked for maybe an hour since we was first employed here." Aleksandra grumbled, crossing her arms. "When I can make him shut up, I take opportunity."_

 

Angela jumped when she felt Fareeha's palms over her eyes, and settled once she got a quick kiss on the cheek. She turned around, smiling slightly when she saw Fareeha's grin. "Hey... Did Morrison give Winston a piece of his mind? Are you taking Winston's job?"

"No, no, Angela, it's even better. Listen to this- Morrison wants us to move to Indianapolis, and he wants me to run Western hemisphere's entire operations! I'll be like his number two, Angela, why aren't you smiling? This means we can get a new house, a new car, the adoption agencies will finally say yes! This is perfect!" Fareeha exclaimed, taking Angela's hand and kissing it softly when she saw Angela's bitter faced reaction. 

"Indianapolis is in America, Fareeha." Angela began, watching Fareeha nod eagerly. "Our friends are here. My entire family is in Europe... Fareeha, you can't be serious."

"I'm entirely serious! This is the best thing that could ever-"

"Leave, then."

"What?"

"If you want to go to America so bad, you have to leave my office now. So then you can understand what being without me will feel like, because I'm not coming with you."

 

"Alright, I'm leaving now. Fareeha, you call me at five, let me know what you think of my offer." Jack called over, waving to the office before walking out with Soldier and Hana, who had come along to get an early dinner with her father and Bastion.

Fareeha nodded, sitting quietly at her desk, spacing out at her screensaver. She'd spent the rest of the afternoon trying to pursue Angela, being ignored in the break room, given the cold shoulder at lunch, and even when she stood at Angela's desk, the representative turned her chair just enough that Fareeha couldn't see her face. It pained her to see Angela's rejection, but she wanted the job, and was almost at the point of deciding whether she wanted Angela or the management position. 

It was almost four fifteen, and Fareeha could see Angela preparing to leave through the annex window, seeing no hesitation in her movements as she prepared her bag, shut down her computer and adjusted her hair in the small mirror she kept beside her desk. She got up, going to ask Winston if she could leave early. Fareeha knew Angela was leaving earlier than usual, just to avoid her.

Once Angela was in Winston's office, Fareeha sprinted towards the annex, hoping her stealth training would serve her well eight years later. She slipped a small envelope into Angela's bag, and when she heard footsteps from the main office, ducked behind the cubicle wall between Angela and Mei, hiding under the customer service desk with a quick and quiet 'shh' directed at Mei.

"Okay, Mei. I'll see you tomorrow. If Fareeha comes in her, tell her she can take the bus." Angela sighed, picking up her bag and giving a final once over of her cubicle.

"Bye, Angela!" Mei called out, waving. "Have a nice night."

Angela waved back, departing with bag in hand. Fareeha crawled out from under the desk, lying flat on her back on the stiff, itchy carpet. Rolling her eyes, Mei went back to work, finishing up her daily complaint forms.

 

Lena left with Aleksandra at five, inviting McCree and Reinhardt out for beers with them. Fareeha had followed them out, scanning the parking lot with anxiety building up in her body. Before Lena could even turn to ask Fareeha to join their group, she'd locked onto Angela and had started running towards their car.

"Angela! Did you read it? I-I put it where I knew you'd be able to find-" Fareeha began, cut off by Angela's sharp words.

"Did you mean it?"

There was a moment of silence between them, earnest confusion painted on Angela's face, Fareeha standing as though she'd been struck. Nobody dared to move forward, both holding their ground with strength. The aggression previously held had dissipated into painful longing, creating a river between the two, bridge starting to form itself.

"I meant every word, every space, every punctuation mark. Angela, please believe me." Fareeha said, her words strained against the true emotions boiling inside. Angela wrapped her arms around her wife, gripping tightly to the fabric of Fareeha's blazer as though she would become entirely invisible if she didn't hold on, Fareeha returning the embrace with equal strength. Deeply inhaling, Fareeha buried her nose in Angela's neck, taking in her perfume and body wash, readjusting her hands to hold the back of her wife's neck, feeling wisps of hair just above her wedding ring. The gold had been worn from ten years of use, but it still reminded Fareeha of the promise she'd made.

 

"Mr. Morrison! How are you?" Fareeha began, looking over at Angela from the passenger's seat in their SUV. "Good to hear... About your offer, I'm going to have to turn it down. I have some business here that I unfortunately can't leave behind, I'm sure you understand."

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading i hope you all enjoyed this!!!!!!!


	7. Valentine's Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fareeha gets an unwelcome surprise from her mother on Valentine's, while Aleksandra is met with unwelcome news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment! i survive off of them!
> 
> ACTUALLY: comment topic for the week if anyone needs help formulating ideas ;3c
> 
> i feel like my writing has gotten a little lackluster lately, so i've been trying to put a little bit more meat into it. let me know if you like it or prefer the old version, or have any other suggestions for my writing! this chapter is a little bit more intense so i did have to make it kind of more like my usual drama fics, but it should be back to typical strength drama soon
> 
> \- read the end note for which episode this is based on (its sort of spoilery so i would waaaaait) - 
> 
> ** there will be a second part!! **

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 11:00am

 

 _"Jack Morrison and I reached an agreement about my promotion. I'll stay here," Fareeha began, gesturing out to her new office, a fully walled cubicle in the corner, "and run the Eastern Hemisphere's operations. He fired the old guy in charge. Just so he could have me here. I'm just_ that  _good."_

_"Of course I'm proud of Fareeha's promotion." Angela said, smiling small. "It meant we could go and take a nice vacation in France. We had a lot of fun, it was a couple's resort. Felt like the oldest ones there, but it was nice. Really, really nice. She's been planning something even more elaborate for Valentine's. Apparently, France was 'just the beginning.'"_

 

"Got any plans for Valentine's Day, Jesse? Or are you going to sit at home with your lovely new Russian girlfriend, vodka?" Fareeha teased, walking out to the sales floor. Jesse rolled his eyes in response, taking a long swig of coffee. She made her way over to Lena, ruffling the younger girl's hair. "Lena, what about you? Going for dinner?"

Lena shrugged, her usual cheery demeanor replaced by a casual bitterness. "Aleksandra and I haven't talked about anything. We'll probably just do what we always do... Order in Chinese or something... Watch TV."

Fareeha frowned, patting Lena's cheek. She was used to her friendly, bouncing Lena who talked non-stop about Aleksandra, but lately the praise had fallen short, and instead, she came with bitter cell-phone arguments, spending her lunch at her desk rather than down in the warehouse. Most of the office had noticed, but nobody said anything. It would be uncomfortable if they did.

"Reinhardt, old man, you've got anybody to cuddle up with tonight?" Fareeha asked, returning to her usual spirits. 

Reinhardt nodded, a devilish smile on his face. "Oh yes, trust me, Fareeha, I've found someone perfect for me. You'd quite like her, she's coming in this afternoon, maybe you'll introduce yourself."

"I'm sure I will." She smirked, leaning against the side of Lena's desk, observing her work carefully. "I'm sure she's a lovely woman if you're dating her. You must have good taste in women, Reinhardt. I'd be surprised if you didn't."

 

_"Recently, I've begun to date someone very close to this office. She does not work at this office, and never has, but she has very close ties..." Reinhardt started, leaning back in the chair, thinking hard about his word choice. "She's special to many people here, but to one person in particular... Okay, I'm dating Fareeha's mom."_

 

Angela stood in the break room over the coffee maker, waiting for it before going back to her desk. She'd hit an afternoon slump, and wanted to energize herself before Fareeha took over for the evening. Looking over as the door opened, she was greeted by an anxious looking Reinhardt.

"Hi, Reinhardt. How are you?" She asked, leaning against the counter, fiddling with her mug.

"Ah, Angela. Perfect person. I'm... Trying to work something out... Could you help me?"

"Of course, I am in HR. What's the problem?"

"Let's say..." He started, twirling his hands as he thought of the proper wording. "I... Hm... I began to date a coworkers mother... A-And I worried she might not approve. What could I say to her to maybe lessen the blow before she comes in, in say... Ten minutes."

Taken slightly aback, Angela paused. "Well... Who's mother is it? It might help to know who, so that you can say it in a way they might best understand."

Saying nothing, Reinhardt closed his eyes. When he opened them, he said very simply, "She's close to you. Very, very close. So close, in fact, that you two might... Be physically close."

"Oh no, Reinhardt, you can't date Ana." Angela shook her head, sympathetic to the issue, but stern in her tone, "Fareeha will freak out, it's not a good idea in the long run. You have to cancel Ana coming here, and break up with her. It's not fair to Fareeha, you know that very well."

"But Ana is a wonderful woman! She's strong, caring, understanding! I can't break up with her, Angela, I can't!" Reinhardt protested, throwing his hands up. "Besides, it's Valentine's Day, the day of love and romance... How will Ana take it?"

Angela rolled her eyes, setting her mug down. "Ana has handled rejection before, she's a sixty-year-old woman. And you don't have to dump her on Valentine's Day! I just told you to cancel your plans with her, and then break up with her  _later_. God, Reinhardt! This is inappropriate! I shouldn't even be having this conversation with you, especially not at work! Go, get out of here, and call Ana."

 

Mei began to unpack her salad at her desk carefully, setting the dressing and toppings aside, staring plainly at the greens. Lately, she'd been avoiding her English lessons with Aleksandra, feeling as though things were still weird between them. As well, Aleksandra had Lena and didn't need Mei to occupy her time.

"Mei."

Turning to meet Aleksandra's eyes, Mei's shoulders tensed, her fork frozen in mid-air. Aleksandra's eyes were puffy, unlike she'd ever seen before. In the months since Mei had met Aleksandra, she'd seen her cry only once, when her dog had to be put down after months and months of being sick. That day, she and Mei had sat together in the conference room while Aleksandra sobbed, and eventually, Mei drove her home. When they got there, Aleksandra sat on the floor of her apartment, begging Mei to stay until she had to go to the vet, cradling her St. Bernard's head in her lap.

That whole afternoon and evening, Mei had stayed. She drove Aleksandra to the vet, despite her weak protests, and brought her back home. When they got back and Aleksandra was too exhausted to cook anything, Mei made her chicken and vegetables, forcing her to drink water for a solid ten minutes, trying to rehydrate her to the best of her ability. And when Aleksandra had fallen asleep on the couch, teary-eyed with her plate still balanced on her knee, Mei tucked her in sweetly, brushed her bangs from her forehead, and left a long, heartfelt note on the kitchen counter. Just as she stood in the door, Mei raced back inside, took the note, and when she got home, burnt it to a crisp in her fireplace.

"Aleksandra... Are you okay? Did you get-?"

"My parents are divorcing." She sounded weak, as though she'd been hit hard in the stomach. It must've been an emotional hit, which was understandable. "My stepfather says he's already moved out, and he's leaving my mother to be with some younger woman... Mei, this is my childhood all over again. This is what I knew was going to happen when she found him."

 

_"My father loved my mother. He loved me. He would always make me hot chocolate in the mornings, tea when I was sick. Carry me around on his shoulders through the city, even when his joints hurt. And then, one night, he decided he had enough of family life. He packed up a suitcase when I was eight, told us he was going on a business trip, and never came back." Aleksandra said soberly, her lips pressed into a grim line. "Then, my mother met Boris, and they got along wonderfully. He made her feel like the happiest woman alive. He treated me like his own daughter, and was always there for me and my mother. I thought they were soulmates. Now, I know I have a track record of being wrong."_

 

Fareeha turned to face the door when she heard it open from reception, helping Hana to organize sales reports. When she was met with the sight of her mother, Ana Amari, she leapt away from her conversation, practically scrambling to get a hug from her mother.

 

 _"For a really long time, my mom was my best friend. She never got married, because all she needed was me. In fact, she hooked me up with a recommendation here. Since she went to college with Reinhardt. Back when the_  dinosaurs _walked around._ " _Fareeha bragged. "All I know about my dad is that he played lacrosse, used to be a cop, has never had any history of kidney problems, and was sperm donor 4721. But I know_ everything _about my mom. She used to be a sniper in the military, her favorite flowers are irises, she had three greyhounds growing up, and she's super cool."_

 

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Fareeha asked, grinning. Ana visited the office rarely, preferring her own home and the shooting range rather than the stuffy building.

"Oh, you didn't know? It's a Valentine's Day surprise, then!" 

"Didn't know what? Come on, tell me!" Fareeha whined, gripping onto Ana's arm like a child again.

Ana chuckled, kissing her daughter's cheek sweetly, looking over at Reinhardt. "I guess Reinhardt better tell you then."

Fareeha turned to face Reinhardt, laughing slightly. She rolled her eyes, but still entertained her mother. "Fine, Reinhardt, what's this about?" 

Only nodding, Reinhardt held eye contact with Fareeha. She laughed, still holding it, interjecting with a small, 'what?' to break the silence. When he continued to nod, Fareeha looked between him and her mother, the wheels slowly turning in her brain before the entire picture clicked in her brain and she screamed, sprinting out to the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based on the lover from the us office ! the part with zarya is based on the episode where jim ends up ruining pam's parent's relationship. i can't remember the title, sorry !!


	8. The Hit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While trying to help Aleksandra overcome her parent's divorce, Mei finds herself trapped in a dangerous game. Fareeha tries to cope with her mother's new relationship during a dinner with her and Reinhardt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \-- LOOKING FOR A BETA READER: COMMENT IF AVALIABLE --
> 
> russian is translated using ImTranslator, which ive found more reliable than google. but it's still an online translator.
> 
> please leave a comment! let me know if you like this new writing style, or if you have any edit suggestions. 
> 
> also i wrote this all at like 1am a month after i started. a lot of fareeha's relationship w her dad is just personal headcanons that i came up w and wanted to use, because theres' not a lot of intense backstory in the office. except for michael and his relationship w his mom and his stepfathers, which was also sort of a base for this.

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 12:05pm

 

_"Fareeha is very, very upset about Ana and Reinhardt getting together. Which, I can understand. I would be very mad if I found out that my father was dating my coworker." Angela said, before pointing out the window. Fareeha was storming around the parking lot, kicking over the outdoor trashcan, picking it back up, and kicking it over again. Once she'd done that enough, she moved on to screaming at the building, then throwing herself on the ground. After picking herself back up, she started running laps around the parking lot. "But Fareeha is going a little far."_

 

Ana and Reinhardt had moved into the break room, left alone by all of the gossiping members of the office. With her hand against Reinhardt's bicep, Ana looked up at her boyfriend with sincerity. "You should go talk to her. This is the biggest test you'll ever have to face. I've had three partners since Fareeha was born, and she's chased all of them off. If you can get through a conversation with an angry, jealous Fareeha, then you can survive a relationship with me."

Reinhardt grimaced, moving his arm to disconnect from Ana. "... She's so upset though."

Frowning, Ana patted his cheek lightly, eyes dark and scolding. "Go talk to her. You're a grown man, you can take care of her."

 

Standing in the parking lot, Reinhardt watched Fareeha round the corner of the building, fury and intensity building inside. He held up a hand in a half-wave, hoping she would stop. She did, sharply coming to a halt. "Fareeha-" Reinhardt started.

"Stop dating my mom! That's not okay! That's so wrong! You shouldn't be dating-" Fareeha screamed in fury, balling her hair up in her fists. "That's my mom! Sh-She's my  _mom_!"

"I know she's your mother. And I'm sorry that I dated her even though I knew that."

"No! I don't care about your stupid 'sorry!' You don't mean it! You're just saying it so you can get a free pass to go back to boning my mom! You can't take my mom! Nobody gets to take my mom, because she's  _mine_!"

Now equally as frustrated as Fareeha, Reinhardt raised his voice, throwing his hands to his side. "I'm not trying to take your mother, Fareeha! I'm just trying to find someone to spend time with! I'm trying to be happy, and you're taking that from me! She still loves you, you're still hers- she talks about you all the time and shows me so many pictures I can remember exactly what you wore for your sixth grade picture day. Jean vest, teal long-sleeved shirt and khaki capris. I shouldn't know that, but I do, because your mother loves you that much! She will never stop loving you that much, because you're her daughter. It's not an either-or."

"Stop it!" Fareeha shrieked, "Stop it! I-I don't care about any of that BS, because it's just BS! My mom is everything I have. If you take her, I have nobody. My dad isn't in my life, I don't even have grandparents, the rest of my family is composed of human garbage bags. When you take her, you take my entire safety net. I don't have anyone who cares for me like she cares for me. And don't even think about bringing up Angela, because she doesn't count. She doesn't ever do the things my mother does for me, she's not my mom. Once you take her, I'm alone."

This stopped Reinhardt once again, a combination of Fareeha's heartfelt rant and the tears slowly sliding down her cheeks brought him to a screeching halt. Pumping the mental breaks, he quickly attempted to maneuver the situation. "I'm not trying to take your mother, Fareeha. We have to share her- okay, fine. What can I do to make this situation even remotely better? Aside from not dating your mother."

"I want to hit you." Fareeha's response was almost instant. 

"Excuse me?" Reinhardt replied, leaning forward with his ear.

"I want to hit you."

"Th-That seems like an ethics violation."

"Then we'll do it after work. In the parking lot." Fareeha said, challenge clear in her voice.

 

_"I've dug a hole I can't get out of." Reinhardt said, staring distantly at the camera._

 

"Hey, Fareeha." Mei waved, approaching Fareeha's desk. She sat down on the edge, holding her hands in her lap. "So, I heard about the hit. And I just want to make sure our bases are covered, okay? So, this is off corporate property?"

Fareeha nodded, "In the parking lot. That's okay, right?"

"Yeah, that's fine. And it's not during work hours?" She asked.

"Mhm. Right after."

Smiling, Mei nodded. "Great. Um, if I could give you some pointers? The power really comes from your legs, okay? So you want to move one leg back to really gain some leverage."

 

Aleksandra sat on a pallet, phone pressed up against her ear. Her mother's voicemail tone beeped and she sighed, talking into the speaker, "Привет мама. Пожалуйста, позвоните мне, когда у вас есть шанс, я хочу поговорить с вами о чем-то."

Once she'd finished her message, she hung up, dialing for her stepfather as Mei walked down the warehouse stairs. When his voicemail tone went off as well, she began her next message with an even heavier sigh, "Я рад, что ты оставила мама. Если бы ты остался с ней, ты бы причинить ей боль. Это больно притворяться любить человека, которого вы с тем, когда человек, которому вы действительно любите ходит вокруг вас, и вы не можете ничего с этим поделать."

"Making some important phone calls?" Mei asked, sitting up on the pallet with her, setting a hand on Aleksandra's knee. 

"Just... Talking to my ex-stepdad about some... Stuff." Aleksandra replied, looking up at Mei. "I hate to say it, but... I think he made the right choice. If he had stayed with my mother, he might have cheated on her. He loved somebody else and he couldn't bear to be with her anymore. Is it wrong to leave the person you've been pretending to love so that you can pursue the person you truly do love?"

Mei shook her head, looking down at the pallet's contents. Extra slim catheters, pre-lubricated. It was a big year for pre-lubrication. "No. I don't think that's wrong at all."

"Why did you and Jamie break off the engagement?"

Looking up, Mei bit her lip. "I... Well..." Finally, she sighed, knowing it was better by a longshot to be honest with Aleksandra. "Because I loved somebody else. You hit the nail right on the head- I was faking like I love him, even though I really wanted to be with somebody else."

"Who was it?"

"I-I don't think I should say."

Leaning forward, Aleksandra put her hand against Mei's cheek, their lips brushing against each other. Mei closed her eyes, almost on a knee-jerk reaction. Her lips parted in an equally natural reaction, accepting Aleksandra's. She leaned in, letting Aleksandra bring her against the pallet. Turning her head, she let Aleksandra pepper kisses across her cheek, down her neck, almost towards her chest, before the other woman brought her head up.

"That was inappropriate. Tha- no. No, never again." Aleksandra snapped, slapping her cheeks.

Mei sat up suddenly, brushing her hair from her cheek, trying to ignore the pink lipstick stains against her now flushed skin. "W-We... I th-thought..."

"I can't let this happen, Mei. You know what's going to come of this and it can't be good."

Aleksandra heaved herself off the pallet, hurrying away to her office, avoiding Mako's eyes. Mei sat with her ankles crossed at the edge of the pallet, her breath coming shallow as she began to cry heavily. Bastion came up to her, a hand on her shoulder while she sobbed, letting the wails come out naturally, closing her eyes to avoid looking at Aleksandra in her office.

 

Reinhardt was the last to leave the office, cemented firmly in his seat until Hana had pestered him enough to force him out to the parking lot. Fareeha was waiting, her hands shoved in her pockets. Angela was behind her, arms wrapped around her shoulders. "Don't hit him too hard, okay? Be gentle, he's old."

"Fareeha... Exactly who I- okay, open palm only. Not that hard, okay?" Reinhardt insisted, clenching fists at his sides.

Fareeha nodded. "I'm ready."

"Oh shit- I left my phone inside." Satya murmured, turning back and heading into the building. The warehouse hadn't joined yet, though Mako was already bringing the door up. Jamison, Hana, and Lúcio had all brought their camera phones up, focusing intensely on the pair squaring off.

Drawing back, Fareeha opened her palm, raising her hand high, building power in her body. Reinhardt winced prematurely, muscles tensing. Letting her hand fall, Fareeha sighed. "I can't do this. I get it. You just want something with my mom. You can have it."

"Thank you." Reinhardt said, sighing deeply. "You and your mother are such wonderful people. I'm happy I get to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Whatever. Just don't be gross." Fareeha grumbled, taking Angela's hand and starting towards the car.

"Does sex count as being gross because I don't think I could resist." Reinhardt teased, laughing to himself. Fareeha turned on her heel, racing back and smacking Reinhardt hard across the face.

 

_"It was satisfying. But I also felt bad." Fareeha admitted, biting at her index finger's nail. "I don't really have many people who are so dedicated to keeping my mom happy. This one guy comes along and basically goes through all these hoops just to be with her, and I hit him. I feel bad."_

 

"I'll go get you an ice pack." Mei promised, rushing inside the building. She took the stairs, opening the fourth floor door quickly, hurrying down the hall. All the lights were off in the office, and she assumed Satya had turned them off manually while searching for her cell phone. Her theory was quickly disproven, as Satya was still in the office, lip locked with Aleksandra at her desk. Aleksandra's hand was in her hair, both of her tiny palms against the taller woman's back.

Quietly, Mei turned on her heel, running from the office, not even caring that the door slammed behind her. She just had to go. The elevator was her safest bet, since Aleksandra could easily catch her on the stairs. Slamming as many buttons as she could, Mei began to hyperventilate. As the doors closed, she slid to the floor and began to cry again.

 

Fareeha sat with her arms crossed in the passenger seat of her car. Angela kept looking back to her, brows furrowing every so often. She took careful note of Fareeha's posture, fluent in Amari body language by now. Crossed arms meant she was thinking, set jaw meant she wanted to hit something, glazed over eyes could mean anything depending on the rest of her body- but in this case, it meant she was about to cry. And Angela hated when Fareeha cried, because Fareeha was terrible at crying. It made her cry, to see Fareeha curled up, sobbing uncontrollably.

 

_"I got my leg blown off in the military. I was shipped back to a civilian hospital for treatment, and my mother stayed every single night. She slept in the chair next to my bed. It took her five days to get off that chair and shower, because she thought if she left my alone, I might die and she'd never get to say her peace." Fareeha wiped a tear from her eye, observing it on her index finger with half-disgust. "My nurses switched out. Angela had trouble getting a travel visa from Switzerland, where she was studying. None of my other family members were interested in coming to see me. My mom even called my dad to see if he wanted to meet me before anything else had the potential to happen. He said no. It was just her. She stayed by me when no one else would. And if I ever had to lose that, I don't think I could take it."_

 

"Fareeha." Angela began, reaching out to rub her wife's arm. "You're upset."

"Of course I am." She retorted, shifting rigidly in her seat. "I hate him so much. He's so rude- trying to break up my family. Trying to destroy everything I have with my-"

"He's not a homewrecker. He loves your mom." Angela sighed, rubbing her temples. "He wants to care for her. And let's be honest, Fareeha. Your mother is in her sixties, and she can't live forever. She needs somebody to care for her. You're a grown woman with a wife, a career, adoptions pending. You can't be there to catch her if she falls. And she can't be here to catch you if you fall. It's okay to let someone else take care of her, and to let somebody else take care of you."

"You never came from Switzerland."

"I couldn't. Immigration was blocking my visa."

"My father rejected."

"Fareeha-"

"He rejected."

Angela sighed, looking Fareeha over. There were tears running in clear paths down her cheeks, and she kept sucking in deep breaths, her exhales coming out rattling. "You can't let one bad apple ruin the whole bunch. Your father disappointed you. Reinhardt won't."

"You don't know that. My mother said that about  _him_ and look what came of it."

"You've worked with this man for the past eight years. You can trust him. Do you remember when you almost lost the company's biggest client and Reinhardt came in and fixed it? Or when you called Morrison while you were drunk and Reinhardt talked him out of firing you? He cares about you, Fareeha. Just let him care." Angela said, resting her hand against Fareeha's back, rubbing slow circles.

Quietly, Fareeha pulled her phone from her pocket, carefully composing a text to her mother.  _'I'm okay with it now. Make sure he treats you well and I'll be okay with it. I love you Mom. See you soon, call me tomorrow.'_

 


	9. Traveling Saleswoman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The traveling saleswoman decides to come back and make her attempt to settle down. Fareeha and Hana are displeased at this and aim to get her out of the office, despite strong opposition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> based on the episode in which packer comes back to settle down. french is imtranslator 
> 
> i decided w the help of my beta to break this into a series, because i do plan on doing a fuck ton of chapters. each part of the series will be a "season" with each chapter being an "episode" let me know how you guys like this idea!! each "season" is 20 episodes btw
> 
> * OK BRIEF RANT THAT I'D LIKE YOU GUYS TO READ THANKS IM SORRY FOR ANYONE BEING GOOD WITH COMMENTS I LOVE YOU GUYS. IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY LONG I'M SO SORRY *
> 
> thank you so much for all of your comments! i read and treasure every single one. i actually sometimes see a frequent commenter and make a mental note to be extra kind to that person. they all make me smile and i love them dearly. it's such a lovely surprise to wake up after posting a chapter with a whole wall of ao3 emails with "comment" in the subject line.
> 
> HOWEVER- ive just discovered a small problem. demanding and rude comments. i'm not calling anybody out here. i think you're all great for just reading this and i am so appreciative. but really, it's frustrating to get demanding and rude comments. i understand that some of you are waiting for certain things or you have contributions or ideas (PLEASE COMMENT ANY EPISODES YOU WANT ME TO INCORPORATE!! [except for scott's tots i can't sit through that one in good faith.]) but its extremely hurtful when i open my inbox and just get a demanding comment.
> 
> i don't want to tell anyone what to do or say, but a "really enjoyed the story! hey, what's going on with [x]?" is much more preffered than "what's going on with [x]." i don't want you guys to drop to your knees and worship me- i only want some respect and kindness.
> 
> i love you all very much for reading this fic and i'm so appreciative. please just keep comments kind. i spend about three hours of my limited free time in the wee hours of the morning writing this for free, and i'd just like a little bit of kindness in exchange. thank you.

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 11:40am

 

The office was only half-awake. Satya was sitting in accounting sipping at a coffee delivered by an overly enthusiastic Aleksandra, who'd dropped off coffees for the rest of the office, while Jamison watched with almost jealousy. Mei carried a stack of paperwork to Fareeha's cubicle, standing beside the desk while staring blankly at accounting. Lúcio was standing at Hana's desk, counting out individual paper clips in an effort to avoid Jesse's request for bacon soap in the bathroom.

"Any important meetings today?" He asked, tossing one into the bin.

Hana shook her head, clicking through her email before returning to her shooter game. "Nope. Nobody coming in, nobody heading out. This week's pretty slow until Friday, when we have six meetings and two sales lunches."

"Sales lunches are the  _best_." Lúcio murmured, spinning a clip against the desk. "Especially when they're company financed."

"Well, it's Lena and Jesse going. So, yeah, they're being financed I'd say." Hana laughed slightly, taking out three infuriated enemies in a row.

Winston lumbered from his office, observing his almost silent employees. Lena was on the phone, talking quietly to a customer about commodes versus bedpans, while Jesse watched, lazily recording orders of emesis basins from earlier in the morning. She'd been off in her sales pitches since Valentine's, always distracted and tired, lacking the usual enthusiasm and energy that attracted customers. Since she lost one of Fareeha's inherited accounts, Winston had another salesperson supervising her on calls. 

Reception's phone started to ring, and Hana picked it up with her usual, "Overwatch Medical Supplies, Hana speaking. How may I help you?" Winston wandered over to the desk, leaning up against the edge while Hana pulled out her scheduling book. "... How does one o'clock work?... Sooner? Um, well it is eleven- oh... So, noon then... Okay... Alright, I'll let Winston know... Thank you very much... Mhm, bye-bye..."

She turned to Winston, setting the phone receiver back in the cradle. "Amélie Lacroix called, she's coming in at noon for an employment meeting? She said she already works here?"

"Ah, Amélie! An old friend of mine, she used to work here for years as a desk saleswoman before deciding to head out to the rest of the world as a traveling saleswoman." Winston explained, folding his hands. "I guess she's ready to come back to us, after living the playgirl lifestyle."

Fareeha's head shot up in her cubicle, staring out the window at Winston.

 

_"Amélie Lacroix is a living nightmare. She's rude, mean, and lives with a disregard to anybody but herself. I actually suggested that she go for the traveling saleswoman position. Just wanted her out of the office." Fareeha said with hard insistence. "Now she's back. And my life is over."_

 

Lena collected her purse, grabbing her coat, preparing to head down to the warehouse for a lunch with Aleksandra. The door opened, and she looked over to see Amélie Lacroix standing in the doorway. They had history together, Amélie always showing up to the Christmas party with new sales records for Lena to challenge, dropping sly condescensions when Lena was in a particular slump in sales. Despite it, they still acted friendly, Amélie inviting Lena out for drinks once in a while, Lena always sending a Christmas card to her latest hotel room. 

"Amélie!" Reinhardt called out, standing up with his arms outstretched. 

Offering a small smile, Amélie waved, standing at reception with her arms crossed, brief case hanging from her fist. She wore a black trenchcoat and black jeans, with royal purple high-heeled boots. Her entire look radiated venom, and she was usually marked off as unapproachable by strangers. Hana shrunk behind the desk, carefully striking her name off the scheduling book and dialing Winston, too afraid to cross Amélie's path to get him from the office.

"Hi Winston, Amélie's here... Okay, yeah." She set the receiver down once again, turning to Amélie. "You can head on in. The first door on the-."

"I know where the office is,  _imbécile_." Amélie snapped, walking briskly towards the door. She didn't even bother knocking, just twisting the door handle and walking in. Before Winston had even said hello, she slammed the door shut, taking her seat at the other end of the desk.

From the other side of the office, Fareeha glared into the camera, shaking her head with a hard frown.

 

The warehouse was equally as slow as the office. Aleksandra was taking count of head immobilizers, while Bastion taped together boxes of flotation belts and Mako took stock of their remaining oxygen masks. Lena climbed down the stairs quickly, scarf draped around her shoulders, aviators perched on the bridge of her nose. 

"Aleksandra." She called out softly, coming to her girlfriend's side and wrapping her arms around her bicep. "Whatcha up to, love?"

"Just finalizing this order going out..." Aleksandra responded, dodging Lena's cheek kiss. "Um, we should talk."

"Over lunch?"

"How about in my office?"

 

"Winston." Amélie began, hands folded in her lap, staring sharply at Winston. "I've decided to return to the desk life. Traveling has gotten boring, and I'd like to focus on long-term."

"Long-term? What does that mean?" He asked, pulling the promotion paperwork from his desk. 

Amélie adjusted her collar awkwardly, a small flush coming to her pale cheeks. "I... I suppose I'd like to focus on the goal of a family... Not children or anything... I simply would like to pursue a lasting relationship. Not have to break up with everyone I date while I travel."

Winston chuckled, pulling out a pen and copying down Amélie's name on the form. "Ol' Amélie finally settling down..."

"Don't ever call me that again."

"Are you going to buy a house? There's real estate open by the lake."

" _Non_ , I will be purchasing an apartment. Apartments are sexy, houses imply excessive commitment." Amélie picked up a mug from Winston's desk, examining the lettering- 'World's Best Boss.' "Who got this for you? Hana?"

"No, I bought it myself."

Continuing the paperwork, Winston let Amélie snoop around his office, examining photos of him and his father, Christmas cards from the Amari-Ziegler family. She stood up from her chair, walking around the office and looking at framed pictures of coworker's old family photos, a wall reserved for them. Amélie observed an old photo of her and her late husband, standing side by side, Amélie's hand around Gérard's waist. Quickly moving on to Fareeha and Angela's wedding invitation, against a black background in an elaborate, golden frame.

"You have built quite the collection." Amélie murmured, tracing her fingertips over a picture of Jack with his two children. "And quite the...  _Attachment_ to these people. They are coworkers, Winston. You let your sensitivity blind you from the fact that you are their ruler. If you exercised more authority here, with less of your affinity for photography, you could easily take that Amari's job."

"I like what I do." Winston responded coolly, trying not to take Amélie's ruthlessness to heart. "These people are like my family. Even you, Amélie. You're like a weirdly occult estranged cousin."

Snorting, Amélie turned back to the picture wall, straightening a photo of a young Aleksandra, blonde and bright-eyed, holding her mother's hand in a Russian wasteland. "You are a sad man, Winston. A sad, sad man. These people are your coworkers. They are no family to you."

"This office is a family, Amélie. If you want to come back, you'll have to understand that." Winston chided gently, handing Amélie her paperwork. "Give this to Angela in the annex. You can have Fareeha's old desk."

 

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 3:30pm

 

Amélie slapped a pile of papers to fax on Hana's desk, walking back to her desk swiftly. Hana picked up the papers slowly, examining them confusedly. She finally stood up from her chair, walking to Amélie's desk with the papers in hand, half confused, half frustrated.

"Uh, Amélie? Did you want these scanned?" She asked, voice small.

"Faxed. When I put it on your desk, I want it faxed." Amélie snapped, turning away to focus on the sale she was entering into their database. "Hurry. Unlike you, I do not like disappointing Jack Morrison."

Hana's face burned red, and she hurried away, stuffing the documents into the shredder with newfound determination.

 

Face buried in her scarf, Lena returned three and a half hours later with a Starbucks cup. She sat at her desk heavily, pulling her keyboard forward to draft a careful email to a client on the subject of dopplers. Jesse gave her a quick once over, noting puffy, red eyes and tear tracks on her cheeks, but deciding to leave the interrogation for a less vulnerable time. Amélie, however, had none of the tact, leaning over to offer Lena a tissue from her purse with a smirk.

"Miss another sale,  _ch_ _érie_?" She teased, pulling back to her own desk.

Lena glared over at her, wiping her eyes with the tissue and dropping it into her waste bin. "I don't want to talk to you about this, Amélie. It's none of your business,  _love_." She hissed, voice dripping with venom.

Rolling her eyes, Amélie returned to her computer screen, filling out spreadsheets with ease. Lena began to tear up again, burying her face in the palm of her hand. From her cubicle, Fareeha stared, mouth pressing into a hard line.

 

_"See, what did I just say? Amélie shows no respect for others! She makes Lena cry! Lena, of all people!" Fareeha exclaimed, getting so animated she even rose from her seat. "I've got to stop this."_

 

Fareeha approached Hana's desk carefully, holding a manila folder to her chest, glancing around the office as she did. Leaning in, Fareeha whispered, "Read this file. Fax it to the annex, and await further instruction."

She set the file down, returning to her cubicle briskly, though she was stopped by Zenyatta for a quick chat. Hana stared at them, then turned to the folder, opening it carefully.

 

_"It's a plan to get Amélie fired." Hana confided to the camera, holding up the folder. "I didn't know Fareeha had this sort of thing in her."_

 

Meeting Fareeha in the parking lot, as outlined by the fax Fareeha sent from the annex, Hana tapped her foot almost impatiently. Fareeha came down quickly, standing against the brick, shoving her hands in her pockets. 

"This is crazy, Fareeha. If we get caught- we'll get fired. Well, not me... But you'll get fired. Maybe in a whole lot of legal trouble too!" Hana scolded, shaking her head. "We're going to put weed in her desk drawer? How are we going to get the weed? How is that-?"

"Oregano. We'll put oregano in a baggie with some other herbs, Winston can't tell the difference!" Fareeha explained, gesturing wildly. "Come on, Hana, do you want to be under Lacroix's iron fist for the rest of your career here?"

"I'm a receptionist... It's not exactly a career." Hana admitted, twisting at her index finger. "But... As long as I'm working here, I don't want Amélie to be bothering me. Or you for that matter. Or Lena! Let's do it!"

 

"Hey, Amélie, I need some help with your final paperwork. Can you step into my office for a few seconds?" Fareeha asked, standing beside Amélie's new desk. 

Seemingly annoyed that she'd been disrupted from emailing clients about gel warmers, Amélie got up, following Fareeha to the cubicle. The shades had already been drawn inside the cubicle, and Fareeha was ensuring to be as unprepared as possible, not caring about the verbal lashing she was about to receive from Amélie.

After sliding the baggie of assorted herbs up her jacket sleeve, Hana pretended to search about on her desk, before heading over to the sales desks. She looked around half-heartedly on Reinhardt's desk, before turning to Amélie's. "I ran out of staples at reception... We used to use this desk as supply storage... Maybe there's something in here..." Hana said to "herself", allowing the baggie to fall out into the drawer she was searching. Once it had been placed, she went towards Lúcio's cubicle, leaning against the doorway and loudly asking about staples, to signal Fareeha.

Quickly, Fareeha finalized the paperwork, sending a pissed off Amélie back to her desk. Hana returned to her own, setting a fresh box of staples beside the half-empty one. She pulled out her phone, composing a quick text to Fareeha-  _"Got it in. Other contents: notepads, highlighters, white out."_

Phone chiming in the cubicle, Fareeha stepped out once again, checking her messages while sauntering over to Amélie's desk holding one of her forms. "Hey, I accidentally screwed your name up on one of these forms- do you have any white out so I can fix it?"

With a look of murder in her eyes, Amélie opened her drawer, revealing a plastic baggie nestled in amongst the other office supplies.

"Oh my God- Amélie, is that weed in your desk?" Fareeha gasped, raising her voice to be heard over the keyboard taps and miscellaneous office sounds.

Hana rushed over, along with Jesse, Zenyatta, Reinhardt. Angela and Mei seemed to notice the hubbub through the annex windows, coming through with caution. "Holy  _shit_ , Amélie's got pot in her desk." Jesse whispered, taking the baggie from the drawer.

Winston came from his office, breaking through the crowd with Angela. Calmly sitting in her chair, Amélie stared up at the two of them, legs crossed, hands over her knee. Angela took the bag from Jesse, gasping and looking away in distress.

"Amélie- this is a very, very serious infraction." Winston scolded, voice low as he attempted to disperse the crowd gathered.

"It is not. That is oregano, as well as a variety of other herbs." Amélie asserted, glaring up at the bag in Angela's hands. "You can smell it if you want- if it was marijuana, it wouldn't get you high from just sniffing it. Trust me."

Reluctantly, Angela unsealed the baggie, quickly sniffing at it before her eyes went wide and she nodded. "She's right. This is only herbs."

"It was planted in my desk as a way to get me fired. I know who did it too." Amélie continued, voice still cool.

"Who?" Angela asked, crossing her arms.

"Your wife, and the reception demon. I was diverted by the Amari, while  _she_ went and placed it in my desk. They are the only two who have had any access to my desk all day, aside from myself." Amélie insisted, glaring over at Fareeha, then to Hana. "She does not like me- your wife. She has reason to get me removed from the office."

All eyes were on Fareeha and Hana, both looking like scolded children. Smirking, Amélie turned back to her work, typing with new energy.

 

_"We're stuck on filing inventory reports until we can 'behave.'" Fareeha grumbled, sitting in a chair beside Hana. Both looked irritated, arms crossed, cheeks puffed._

_"So we have to sit in the freezing, noisy warehouse!" Hana cried out._

 

"This blows." Hana murmured, stacking cast padding order forms. Her nose was running thanks to the dust in the filing room, and she hadn't been able to find any wifi or cell service in the archaic section of the warehouse, effectively boring her out of her mind.

"We have to get her back." Fareeha grumbled, sorting through old manila folders.

Shaking her head, Hana slapped down her papers. "No. We're already in trouble- what if we get caught again? We'll probably be suspended,  _without_ pay. You could even be fired!"

Fareeha gritted her teeth, getting up from the chair. "Fine then, I'll do it on my own."

 

_"I had no idea Fareeha hated Amélie this much." Hana said, bewildered. "It's like when I was in third grade and this girl had a total grudge with me. She used to follow me around the playground hissing at me. Except in this case- Fareeha is following Amélie around the office with baggies of mixed herbs."_

 

"Aleksandra! Favorite foreman- what's going on?" Fareeha asked, sliding into a seat across from Aleksandra's desk.

Sighing, Aleksandra shrugged, crossing her arms and settling into her own chair. "Lena and I ended things today. I care about her, but not how she wants me to care for her."

Nodding, Fareeha closed her eyes. "Sounds painful."

"She cried! I have never made a lady as tiny as Lena cry!"

"Sounds sad."

"I felt so... Regretful? Is that a word? I think it is..."

"Sounds regretful."

"I broke her tiny little heart..."

"Maybe you should go upstairs and just check in on her? Make sure she's not too beaten up about it?"

Aleksandra nodded, getting up with her coffee mug. "Yes. I should make sure Lena is not too upset. Her little heart must be so filled with sadness, it's only right of me to make sure she does not need bear hugs to drain it."

Fareeha smiled, clapping Aleksandra on the back. "You're a good person, Aleksandra. Speaking of which- do you mind if I use your office phone to call my mother? She's been unwell lately, and I'd like to-"

"No more words, friend. You do whatever you must for your mother."

Quickly, Aleksandra left the foreman's office, jogging up the stairs. Fareeha took a seat behind the desk, pulling the company directory from the drawer and grabbing the receiver.

 

Sitting at reception was Genji Shimada, younger brother of Hanzo and the office intern. He'd been called to fill in for Hana while she was trapped in filing, a job he didn't particularly enjoy. His status as intern mostly required him to make copies, act on the wishes of the office staff, and run out for coffees every so often. Answering phones was not in his paycheck.

 

_"I've interned here for the past six months. It's... It's kind of like being trapped in a meat grinder that's going very, very slowly? You know you should get out because it's a meat grinder, but it's going slowly." Genji said, folding his hands under his chin. "Very, very slowly."_

 

The phone began to ring and he picked it up, leaning it between his shoulder and cheek as he tried to decode Hana's password. "Overwatch Medical Supplies, this is Genji. How may I help you?"

"Genji, hey, it's Fareeha."

"Aren't you supposed to be on filing duty?" He whispered, leaning down low to keep the conversation secretive.

"As far as anybody's concerned- I still am. Tell Amélie she has a call coming from corporate and patch me through to her. If you tell anybody about this- even your brother- I will kill you."

"Is that... A threat?"

"Yes. Now patch me through, hurry. Is Aleksandra upstairs yet?"

"No?"

"Okay, good, I have some time. Hurry, Genji! I can't wait in here forever."

Reluctantly, Genji stood up, calling out, "Amélie. You have a call from corporate."

Suddenly more alert, Amélie gripped her phone tightly, locking onto Genji as he connected her with Fareeha. At the chime of her phone, Amélie picked it up, quickly bringing it to her ear and talking lowly into the receiver, "Mr. Morrison?"

Using her best pseudo-Southern accent, Fareeha replied, "Oh no, this is Mr. Morrison's new secretary! I'm calling on behalf of good ol' Jackie to let you know we have a job for you in Indianapolis!"

"Really."

"Oh yes! We need talent like yours here at headquarters! New American Director of Sales!"

"Is that a position?"

"For you it is!"

Amélie considered the offer briefly, leaning back in her chair as she ground her jaw back and forth. She looked around the office, examining everyone closely. Finally, she assessed the carpet, her desk, her computer, before speaking once again, "Thank you for the opportunity. When should I arrive."

"Leave as soon as ya can, sugar pea!"

"I will find the soonest flight from this dump.  _Merci_. Please, send my kind regards to Mr. Morrison. Let him know that I have had quite the pleasure working with his two children so far."

"Of course, ma'am. We'll see you in Indianapolis!" The line went dead suddenly.

Setting the receiver back in the cradle, Amélie rose from her desk, walking briskly towards reception. She stood tall, glaring down at Genji. "Where is Winston. I must discuss with him ending my employment here."

"Oh, Winston just went down to give Aleksandra a few files to give Fareeha and Hana for inventory." Genji said, returning to his quest to find the password.

 

Winston stood in the doorway of the foreman's office, having observed the last few moments of Fareeha's feigned phone call to Amélie. His arms were crossed, and he had been silent in his disapproval, until now. "What are you  _doing_ , Fareeha." He growled, walking up to the desk.

"Winston- she has to be fired. She's mean, rude, nasty!" Fareeha exclaimed, getting up from the desk to face off properly. "Amélie hates everybody here! And everyone who isn't here! Do you remember when my mom brought cookies for the Christmas party and Amélie said she was going to  _die_ soon? She said that about my mom!"

"Amélie never means that sort of stuff! She just says it to be cool!" Winston retorted, leaning in closer.

"She shouldn't be saying it at all! Amélie made Lena cry this morning!"

"She would  _never_."

"She would do that everyday! Winston, how are you this blind? Amélie Lacroix is a terrible person!"

Shaking his head, Winston turned and headed out the doorway, "Well, I'm telling her what you're doing! You can't get away with this, Fareeha!"

He started jogging up the staircase, Fareeha following after at a sprint, vaulting herself over the stair railing. They chased each other into the main, lobby, Winston quickly getting to the elevator, making the doors shut before Fareeha had a chance to get in. Rushing up the stairs, Fareeha practically tumbled out into the main hallway. Winston had already arrived, and was making his way towards, the office, paused at the doorway leading to their own private entryway. As Fareeha approached, she noted the sound of Amélie's voice.

" _Non_... I will be leaving this idiotic office, and getting on the next plane to America... Of course not- this place truly is a dump... All my coworkers are truly brain dead, and the boss is no better! He's a gullible dumbass, tripped up on his own feelings for his coworkers... There's only one good one out of the lot, but she's sensitive and hyperactive... Mhm..." Amélie continued her conversation on the phone, leaning up against the wall. "No, they're all imbeciles! I mean, every last one of them... The Amari is an arrogant jackass, the Wilhelm is loud as  _ever_... Whatever- I should go. Goodbye, sister, I'll speak with you later."

Amélie hung up, tucking her phone in her trench coat pocket, exchanging it for a pack of cigarettes. She started out the door, running directly into Fareeha. "Watch where you stand, _âne_!" She snapped, drawing back, cigarettes in hand.

Fareeha crossed her arms, ignoring Amélie. "Didn't you have something to tell her, Winston?"

After a few moments of reflection, Winston shook his head. "No, I just... Heard about the corporate position and wanted to wish you luck. You really deserve this, Amélie."

Smirking, she nodded. " _Merci_ , Winston. I suppose I'll see you eventually."

"Eventually." Winston echoed, giving Amélie a firm clap on the shoulder, before allowing her to waltz outside.

 

Lena began to pack up for the evening, having stayed a few minutes later than most of the office. Amélie was still beside her, typing away, looking as though she had no plans to stop. Quietly, she put her things into her briefcase, collecting her coat from the back of her chair. Waiting for her monitor to click off, Lena began to space out, almost drifting in her own mind. Snapping out of it, she buried her face in her hands, trying to resist the urge to start sobbing again.

The break up with Aleksandra could've been called amicable. Sure, she sobbed uncontrollably into her chest for about ten minutes, sure, when Aleksandra had come up to check on her she'd locked herself in the bathroom- but it was "amicable." In a month, she would probably text her a picture of her hamsters zooming around the kitchen, but for now, the wounds were fresh and most likely wouldn't patch themselves up for a while.

"Lena."

She whipped her head around, staring Amélie down intensely. "Yeah, love?"

"I have a plane to catch at six-thirty tomorrow. My things have been sitting packed in my car, so I do not need to go home and prepare. I must be at the airport at four thirty. Would you like to keep me company until them?" Her eyes were still focused on the computer screen, emotionless and unreadable.

Smiling genuinely for the first time since Aleksandra had pulled her into the office, Lena nodded. "Definitely."


	10. Angry Hanzo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse finds a new romance in local politician, Gabrielle Adawe. While most of the office is pleased with Jesse's decision, one person has a complaint to lodge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all for reading and commenting! I value everything you guys say and i value it so much!! please continue to suggest episodes!
> 
> soooo i just felt really awful writing this chapter. i just really couldn't find any inspiration for it, and i kept getting tied up with other things... hanzo is also really ooc : // sorry you guys!!!!!!! its also shorter than i would like : (
> 
> also - i edited the hit, but only by i think two lines to keep up some continuity.
> 
> * episode info below *
> 
> ok so this was sort of an amalgam of episodes from the office. first, i used angry andy's plotline of ryan deciding to confess to kelly as the base, using business trip as well. i also used sexual harassment's element of pam's mom visiting for gabrielle coming to the office. 
> 
> this one is going to focus on a different office romance, but it'll also focus on a lesser addressed familial relationship. it might seem sort of awkward, but there's reasons for it, inspired by dwight's relationships with his family. it'll be better focused on later.

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 11:30am

 

_"It's been almost two months since I began to see Miss Gabrielle Adawe, a local lawmaker 'round these parts. See, it's been goin' pretty damn good, but I been holdin' off on tellin' my family." Jesse admitted, "You wouldn't've guessed it, since she talks 'bout me so little, but Fareeha Amari's my sister. Our mother adopted me when she was two months old, and she has never liked me. Even when she was a baby, she used to spit up on me, an' only me. When I got married to my first wife, Fareeha made me take her last name so people wouldn't know we were related."_

_"God- he told?" Fareeha groaned, rubbing her temples irritably. "I made him sign a contract, so he would never tell anybody that we were related- which we aren't! Jesse is such an_ embarrassment _, ever since we were kids. I mean, the man dresses up like a cowboy! Sure, I dressed up too... When I was five!"_

_"I had no idea that Fareeha and Jesse were related until about three weeks into my relationship with Ana. Just... Never came up. Jesse wasn't around much as a teenager, always getting into trouble, never in pictures." Reinhardt said, shrugging. "Fareeha made me sign one of those contracts? I wasn't supposed to say any of that."_

 

Fareeha leaned against the counter, pouring a decent amount of coffee into her mug. Rooting around in the fridge for half and half, she barely noticed Hanzo coming in with his own cup. He took the pot from the coffee machine, pouring his mug full.

"Good morning, Hanzo." She greeted, straightening up.

"To you as well, Fareeha." He replied, nodding slightly at her.

She felt awkward stirring the half and half in. Conversations with Hanzo already felt awkward, but the silence in them was even worse. Fareeha picked up her mug, "So I guess I'll just-"

"Do you know if Jesse is with anybody currently?"

"... I'm sorry, what?"

Hanzo shook his head, grabbing his coffee and going towards the door. "Nothing. It was nothing. I said... Nothing."

"Um, okay." Fareeha said gently, nodding. As Hanzo made his way to the door, she spoke up again, "I don't think he's seeing anybody. Not anyone he's talked about, so if he is with somebody, it must not be that serious. Jesse is a private man, so when he talks about something, it means something to him."

"Thank you, Fareeha." Hanzo nodded at her, leaving the break room with his coffee. She watched him return to his desk, starting on a report. 

 

_"I don't keep up with my brother's personal life." Fareeha snorted. "He could be married with kids for all I care."_

 

Jesse took his lunch bag to the conference room, taking a seat at one of the tables closest to the vending machines. He unzipped the bag, pulling out his leftovers from the night before- steak and biscuits. Setting out his fork, Jesse looked around, realizing it would be another lunch alone. Until Hanzo came in, carrying his own lunch bag, standing at the front of the table.

"Well, howdy. What brings you to my neck o' the woods for lunch today?" Jesse teased, pulling a quarter from his pocket for the vending machine.

"I think we should be together. Romantically. I think you've made a lot of bad choices- sleeping with clients being one of them- but I think you have good qualities amongst the bad, f-for example," Hanzo began, cut off by Jesse raising a hand.

He gave a small, almost tragic looking lopsided grin, before shaking his head. "I am quite flattered, darlin'. However, I must decline. As you did not know, I'm currently involved with the lovely Miss Gabrielle Adawe, very sweet woman, you oughta meet her someday."

Hanzo stopped, standing entirely still, before stammering, "F-Fareeha said you weren't seeing anyone."

"And what does she know about my personal life?" Jesse shook his head again, cutting the steak into strips. "She informed you incorrectly, 'm sorry. We'll be workin' together like normal, right?"

Nodding stiffly, Hanzo bit his lip. Quickly, he turned on his heel and rushed out the door, hiding out in the parking lot, trying to shake the early-April chill to enjoy his cigarette in privacy.

 

_"Today might be the day I gotta clear some of this up. Just put my business out there so nobody can spread false information." Jesse said through gritted teeth, eyes narrowed as he glared Fareeha's cubicle._

_"He's such a drama queen. It's not my fault he never tells me anything." Fareeha grumbled, crossing her arms, glaring at Jesse's desk._

 

"Fareeha- can I talk to you for a few seconds? I have some numbers I want to run by you." Jesse said, standing in the doorway of Fareeha's office. She nodded at him, gesturing for him to come in. Smiling, Jesse closed the door, but his pleasant expression dropped the second the door closed. "What the hell, Fareeha!"

"What?" She asked, looking up from her reports.

"You told Hanzo I wasn't seeing anybody!"

"You aren't!"

"I am!"

"I find  _that_ hard to believe."

Jesse's face turned bright red and he slammed his hand on the desk, causing his sister to jolt slightly. She stared at him with half-confusion, half-intrigue. "Goddammit, I'm dating Gabrielle Adawe! She's a politician, and she's a very nice woman! I ain't told you or Ma or Reinhardt because I  _knew_ you'd pull this shit! Why can't you just be a normal, good sister!?"

Fareeha rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair and capping her pen. She clicked her teeth, looked at the wall, then back to Jesse- gathering her thoughts up. "Maybe, Jesse, I'd be more inclined to believe you when you say you're in a relationship if you didn't burn through two wives in a year and keep tossing girlfriends away like they're empty soda bottles. And maybe, Jesse, I'd be more inclined to be a normal, good sister if you hadn't ruined everything. If you'd just stayed out of prison a little more, maybe I'd be proud enough to call you my brother."

It seemed almost impossible for Jesse's face to go any redder than it was, but it did. He leaned in close to Fareeha, face scrunched up like he was prepared to yell at her, but he instead grabbed her hair by the roots, making her scream and smack his head. In retaliation, Jesse yanked her hair, and Fareeha started crying. She took her pen and jabbed it between the his fingers, where the skin was thinnest. He released her, and Fareeha straightened out her bob.

Zenyatta knocked quietly, opening the door with similar caution. "Is everything alright in here?"

Nodding, Jesse began to suck on his new injury. Fareeha nodded, putting her hand against her head and sniffling. "We're fine, thanks. Just got scared by a mouse."

They nodded, smiling at the two. "If you see your friend again, let me know, and I can take them back to their home- outside."

"Thank you, Zenyatta." The siblings replied in unison, before glaring at each other sharply.

 

"Has anyone seen Hanzo?" Angela asked, standing beside reception. Met with a sea of head shakes and 'nope, wish I could help's, Angela sighed. "He's been missing since lunch with no call in. I'm not saying I'm worried, but I'm not appreciative of this."

Jesse bit his lip, staring wide eyed at his computer screen, trying to focus on his work.

 

 _"I made somebody go_ missing _. I haven't done that since I was still involved in gang shit!" Jesse hissed, grabbing anxiously at his hands. "What if he ends up dead? What if I'm the first suspect?"_

 

At five, Jesse tucked his phone away into his pant's pocket, walking down the stairs behind Satya to avoid the tidal wave of people cramming into the elevator. Once he reached the parking lot, he was met by Hanzo, perched on a Appaloosa, dressed in chaps, spurs, and a cowboy hat to complete the look.

"Oh my God- is that Hanzo?" He heard Hana laughing from behind him, mixed in with Lúcio's own chuckle.

Shaking his head, Jesse tried to tune out Hanzo calling out for him.

"Jesse! Please, hear me out." Hanzo called, waiting until Jesse was frozen in shock to continue his speech, "I know we're destined to be together. I-I wrote you a poem, but it wasn't that great. So I threw it away-"

"I think you should read it!" Fareeha shouted, earning a light punch on the shoulder from Angela. 

"Don't encourage him." Angela hissed.

"- but for the record, it was great. It was, um, really poetic. Jesse. We belong together, and if you can't agree with that, I don't know how I can make you see that. I may not be easy to get along with, I may not enjoy the company of other people much, but I know we're destined to be together." Hanzo said, voice wavering slightly, "No matter what anybody else says."

"Nobody else has said anything!" Lena called out.

"Well, you were going to say something! I know how you guys are." Hanzo sighed, turning his focus back to Jesse. "What do you say?"

Jesse stood on his toes, reaching up. Hanzo leaned down, and they locked lips, earning an embarrassed groan from Aleksandra, a fake gag from Fareeha, and several cries of, "ew!"

"This is embarrassing." Satya murmured, clinging onto Aleskandra's bicep as Jesse began to moan, grabbing Hanzo's hair in his fist.

Finally, they separated, Jesse wiping his mouth and clearing his throat. "I say no. I'm with Gabrielle now. I can't be with you."

"He finally gets some sense!" Lena cried out, covering her face in relief. "Took him all of- what- forty years!"

Stepping away from the horse, Jesse got in his pickup, putting the keys in the ignition and driving away.

 

_"Today was a weirder day than I've had in the past." Jesse admitted. "An' I've had some weird days. But today was a good weird. I had a coworker confess their love to me, told my sister about a relationship, and made out with a guy on horseback. And, to top it all off, Fareeha texted me. I didn't have her number in my phone before."_

 

Fareeha dug through the trash bin in her lap with intent, uncrumpling paper and dodging lunch wrappers in search of her real objective. Angela beside her groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fareeha, he threw it away for a reason. Besides, this is Hanzo. He's not terribly articulate, I can't imagine this is  _good_ poetry."

Rolling her eyes back, Fareeha continued her search, finally pulling out three pages stapled together. "Angela. Tell me you don't want to read this."

Silence followed and Fareeha nodded, starting on her dramatics already. "My Jesse. You are as sweet as fresh strawberries-"

Giggling, Angela took a seat on the desk, nodding. "Okay, okay, keep going."

 

"- and that, is how I intend to love you, like the moon loves the sun." Fareeha finished, staring up at Angela, finding her with a similarly tearful expression. "We can't let anyone know about this. We never cried over Hanzo's poetry."


	11. Hot Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winston's half-sister sets up shop in the conference room and the entre office shows an interest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment!!!
> 
> aah sorry this took so long!! it's not the chapter i was planning for, but it's the chapter we're gonna get. formatting maybe kind of dinky, but eh..... 
> 
> my computer died with my entire quality assurance chapter drafted to it, so i had to switch courses and write hot girl on my phone instead because i didn't want to fuck up the tone and pacing of what i had going there. i'll probably rewrite it since i'm really anxious to get this season wrapped, but i'll see what the repair technicians can do first!
> 
> but life is good anyways- i really like this chapter even though it was a pain to write, and i'm super excited about my birthday coming up!! it's nov 9 if anyone was wondering lol ;)))

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 10:45am

Winston had made a nice family for himself at Overwatch. Back at home, his family was a bit lacking, being only himself and his half-sister. At Overwatch, he had everything he needed- a surrogate sister in Lena, a good replacement for a father in Reinhardt, and of course, he would never need children so long as he had Fareeha, the closest thing to a daughter he had.

It wasn't as though he disliked his family, they just weren't enough. Athena was always busy, his father had been dead for quite a while now, and no one in his extensive network of aunts and uncles was quite considered close.

He and Athena were close, she could just never make the time for him. Winston didn't blame her, her business had gone international. Being a saleswoman for Volskaya Industries was no easy feat, offering the latest in tech to her thousands of global clients. But every time she packed up her bag and took off for Poland or Lithuania or some other delightfully foreign place, Winston missed her terribly.

They shared an apartment, they were such good sibling-friends. But it was more of Winston's, since Athena owned several international properties she much preferred over the dinky little two-bedroom. Even when she was home, she caught up on her sleep or went out with her latest partner, giving Winston little else than a hello.

_"I got the call at five this morning. Athena's in London, but she's boarding the next plane to Gibraltar and staying for the week! We haven't gotten to see each other in such a long time, she's been busy, busy, busy!" Winston laughed humorlessly, smacking his palms against his desk. "She's dropping by the office to say to everybody too. It's like the merging of two worlds!"_

"Meeting, everybody!" Winston called out, leading the staff into the conference room in a single file line.

Once everyone had settled in, Winston began his meeting, staring at the Post-It note he'd prepared for the occasion.

"First on the agenda, Athena will be coming in later today. I expect everybody to be on their best behavior and treat her with the kindness you'd treat a client with." He started, directing his focus at Satya.

_"Who wouldn't feel naturally compelled to fawn over Athena? Athena who shows up without any warning, distracts everybody in the office, and has to kill Winston's already minimal productivity? Who wouldn't love Athena?" Satya grumbled._

"Next! I've got exciting news from corporate. The top salesman in the office by the end of the month will receive..." Winston dug deep into his pocket, producing a check, "A thousand dollar prize!"

_Jesse nodded. "That's going to be my money. Now that Fareeha's basically out of sales, I've got the best numbers in this whole office. No one can beat me."_

_"I'm not the best at sales- but it'd be a nice thing to have. Could finally get my car fixed up." Lena said, shrugging. "Pity prize?"_

_"Oh no, I don't have the sales to earn that. But if I can convince Lena and Jesse that I'm a threat to them in the competition, it'll keep me busy for a few hours." Reinhardt grinned widely, clapping his hands together._

Overwatch Medical Supplies - Gibraltar - 1:30pm

"Hana, has Athena called yet?" Winston asked, leaning up against the reception desk.

Hana shook her head, turning her attention back to her computer screen. She was caught in the middle of an intense game of an MMORPG, tying to defeat her team's rivals. There was absolutely no time for chit chat or distracting phone messages.

Winston bit his lip, but nodded. "That's cool. She does that. Likes to have some mystery to her, you know?"

"Mhm." Hana said, nodding slightly.

As Hana went back to her game, the doors flew open. Marching in like it was her job, was a tall, thickly built woman carrying a black briefcase that matched her dress, hidden under a bright blue blazer, perfectly. She stopped suddenly at the reception desk, setting her briefcase down.

"Winston. Nice to see you." She said, smirking. Her eyes were hidden under cat-eyed sunglasses, and she kept her hair tucked into a conservative bun shielded by a black, swooping sunhat.

Winston wrapped his arms around the woman, squeezing tightly. "Athena!"

Digging her razor-sharp nails into her half-brother's arm, Athena began to pull away. "Winston, stop it! We aren't children, we're professionals."

Athena smoothed out her skirt once she was released, smiling sweetly at Winston once again. "How long does work go until?"

"Only to five. But I can leave earlier if you'd like to go for dinner or-"

"Five sounds nice. I have some extra products I didn't have a chance to get rid of in London, would you mind if I let some of your employees take a look?"

"Of course! Take the conference room!"

Raising her hand, Hana piped up. "There's an HR meeting at four."

"Make them sit on the floor!"

_"It'll be nice to have Athena around. Give Winston another person to bother, why don't we?" Angela sighed, shuffling in her seat._

Aleksandra came up from the warehouse to spend lunch with Satya. Mei had joined them, poking at her vegetable wrap with little interest.

"How are you not all over Athena?" Aleksandra asked, stealing a bite from Satya's plate. "I mean come on, she's everybody's type!"

"She's definitely my type." Hana called from the vending machines, earning a disgusted look from Satya.

"I don't know. She's not mine." Mei admitted, pulling apart her wrap.

Rolling her eyes, Aleksandra crossed her arms. "What is your type then?"

"Moms. Soccer moms, single moms, yeah, any kind of mom really."

"That's disgusting."

Athena strode through the breakroom, pushing open the bathroom door and walking inside with half a glance in Mei's direction.

"You know, if I wasn't with Satya, I'd hit that." Aleksandra said, reaching over for another bite of Satya's food.

Closing her Tupperware lid tightly, Satya gathered her things and hurried back to her desk. Aleksandra grumbled about her being irrational, and went back to tearing into her cold, stale pizza slice. Trying to look any where but the path Athena would no doubt take back to the conference room or where Aleksandra was sitting, Mei stared up at the ceiling, waiting for her discomfort to dissipate.

Winston came in carrying a large box, with a Starbucks logo printed on the front.

"Hey, did corporate decide to get us a new coffee machine?" Mei asked.

"No, I did."

"Where did you get the money for it?"

Going silent, Winston began to unpack the box. Mei frowned, knowing she and Angela would have a delightful time handling the paperwork.

"Was it from the prize money for the top salesman?" Mei asked, earning a moment of silence that she chalked up to a yes.

 

  
"This is a smart watch, it comes with a standard 8GB of memory and there's a range of 5 different colors. Here, let me show you the displays." Athena knelt down to pull the other watches from her briefcase.

Hana waved her hands to get Lena's attention, gesturing to Athena's butt and giving two thumbs up. She promptly snapped back into her professional self when Athena stood back up. Carefully, Athena secured the rose gold watch onto Hana's wrist.

"You've got really nice nails." Hana said, observing the blue gel manicure, decorated with chrome powder and rhinestones. "Where did you get them done?"

"A place in London. It smelled bad, though, and their candies were stale." Athena confessed, smiling gently as she went to remove the watch and bring the next sample. "How did you like the rose gold?"

"It's shiny."

Athena nodded and reached for her buzzing phone on the table as Winston came in. Hana fiddled with a cell phone cradle on the conference room table as Athena read her text, face falling.

"What's the matter, Athena?" Winston asked.

"It's nothing. I was going to get coffee with my friends and go to a party, but my ride cancelled on me. C'est la vie." She said, shrugging sadly and pulling the chrome watch out from it's hard, metallic protective case.

"I can give you a ride!"

"Really, Winston, it isn't a big deal. I'll just cancel-"

"No, no, I insist! Anything for my little sister!"

Reluctantly, Athena smiled and nodded. She went back to work on the watches, demonstrating the touchscreen to an awe-struck Hana.

 

  
Jamison had spent the day bitter, observing Aleksandra effectively monopolizing Satya's time and denying him any opportunity to work at getting her back. He'd been staked out in the accountants corner most of the day, staring as Satya got up to examine Athena's wares. She was delicately handling a laptop case, emblazoned with the Volskaya logo.

"You seem to like to touch things, what about this knit one?" Athena offered, showing Satya a mustard yellow case.

"I don't necessarily like to touch things, I'm just... Shopping. Isn't this expected? I always prepare for people to touch our catheters."

"Oh no, no, no, of course. Here- this chartreuse one, it's a bit festive, isn't it?" She tried, handing over another case as Jamison angrily set down his little rubber smiley face ball, stalking over to the conference room.

He had to make Satya jealous. If she thought he was just waiting for her, then he'd never get anywhere with her.

"No, that's too aggressive of a color. Do you have-" Satya was cut off by Jamison's entrance, marked by a pointed and casual greeting.

Athena looked him over with a frown, sliding the nicer tablets out of reach. She clasped her hands together and began her opener, but was cut short by Jamison, "Could I talk to you in private?"

"Um, no, I'm really busy right now." Athena explained, gesturing to Satya, who was busy running her fingertips over a fruit-patterned case, face screwed up with contempt.

"It'll take just a few-"

"I can't."

"Just for a minute?"

"No, really. I can't."

"Please?" When his appeal was rejected, Jamison took a deep breath, shifting anxiously. "I wanted to talk to you in private because I wanted to ask you out on a date."

Laughing breathlessly, Athena stared at Jamison, supplying a simple and short answer, "No."

"Is that... A no to speaking with you in private or to the date?"

"Both." Athena replied, effectively chasing Jamison out so she could return to Satya's sale. "What colors do you like?"

"Grey, dark grey, charcoal..." Satya explained, turning another case over in her palms.

 

  
"Genji, can you come help me with a special project?" Winston asked, flipping his keys in his hand.

"Um, yeah." Genji said, shrugging to Hana and following Winston out to his car.

Digging through the mountains of trash in the convertible, Genji made a face. He pulled a half-eaten fast food quesadilla out from a spare pair of sandals that reeked of sweat and general detritus. Winston had instructed him to throw out whatever he could find reason to trash, but save whatever would impress Athena. Genji made the executive decision that the sandals had to go.

"Just- throw out all the empties." Winston said, holding up a bottle of energy drink. "And if there's one that's half full, uh, put it in the trunk. Only save the full ones."

"There's only one full one." Genji replied.

"What flavor?"

"Blue."

"Blue isn't a flavor."

"It says... Blue Blast."

"Keep that one, keep that one."

 

  
Mei had tried to move on from Aleksandra, but she had to admit, she reached a dead end. There was little else to do in her life, she'd come to Gibraltar specifically for the job and made few friends. Her only lifeline and distraction was her mother, and that wasn't what Mei wanted.

But Athena was personable and chatty, and Mei could woo just about everybody with her social skills perfected by years of hard work in customer service. She'd considered it all afternoon, but only took action when there was a lull in appointments, Athena standing alone in front of her table.

She tried to stay confident, walking in and checking out Athena before the technology strewn out.

"Hi, I'm Mei."

"Athena."

"So. Let's talk all this... Stuff. I'm here to learn, so teach me."

 

  
"Any big weekend plans?" Aleksandra asked, joining Mei for a coffee in the breakroom.

"Not really. I might go out with Athena." Mei replied, smirking devilishly.

Aleksandra smiled, nodding politely. "That's nice. What are you, uh, planning?"

"Dinner. Drinks. Matching tattoos." Mei teased, grinning into her coffee.

Providing little more than a slightly uncomfortable chuckle, Aleksandra nodded, clenching tightly to her cup, starting a sentence, cut off by Mei's, "What about you?"

"Oh, um. We were going to help Satya's friend move. Since, uh, I have a truck. Mhm."

"That's... Cool."

"I should head back."

 

  
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Don't throw that away! That's Clive Christian 1872!" Winston snapped, seizing the cologne bottle from Genji.

"This is from Rite Aid."

"It's a smell alike, Christ, kids these days don't know what a bargain is."

"But it's empty."

"No, no, there's still some in the straw."

As Winston smeared the remaining cologne on his neck, Genji rummaged through the pile of debris on the floor of the passenger seat, producing an armful of McDonald's boxes. "You eat a lot of Fillet O'Fishes..."

"That's over the course of several months, Genji."

"... Still."

_"In order to be a good role model, a good sibling, you have to be better than them. Athena is rich, she's pretty, she's smart, she's talented. But hey, I smell like Clive Christian 1872, and I'm manager of this branch." Winston reclined in his seat, grinning ear to ear, "What's she doing? Selling tablets in a conference room? Lame."_

Satya carefully applied her lip gloss, examining her work in a compact mirror while she waited for Aleksandra. As she noticed the camera, she looked up, slightly wiping it away before returning to her computer screen.

 

  
"Goodnight!" Athena called out to an enthusiastically waving Hana. She carried her briefcase happily, standing between Winston and Mei.

"I can get that for you." Winston said, going utterly ignored. He turned his attention to Mei, "Where are you going?"

Gesturing to Athena, Mei shrugged. "Drinks? Maybe?"

"Oh, with us?" Winston asked.

Athena froze, mouth caught open in an 'o'. "Well, um, I should've told you. I don't need a ride. Mei can take me home after. I'll see you tomorrow or tonight, depending on how late I get back-"

"I'll probably be asleep, don't worry about it."

"Okay, um. Thanks, Winston."

"Don't drink and drive!" He called back humorlessly, walking solemnly to his car as Mei led Athena off, "Be safe! No hands!"

"You got that?" Athena asked, trying to help Mei load the case into the car.

"Oh yeah, you sold a lot! It's light now." Mei responded.

Winston cleared his throat, getting into his car and taking a long sip of the energy drink in his cup holder. He hesitated to turn on the radio, listening to Athena giggling and chattering with Mei as they circled the car, Mei opening the door for her date.

"This is a very nice car, so... Don't freak out." Mei teased, opening the duct-taped door.

"Mine is much nicer." Winston whispered, effectively blocked out by Athena's sickeningly sweet giggles.

Satya rounded the parking lot corner in her Prius, Aleksandra buckled up in the passenger seat. As they passed Mei and Athena, Aleksandra stared out the window, chewing her lip anxiously.

_"Am I lonely?" Winston questioned back at the producers. "No, of course not. Um, Athena sent me a text this morning, letting me know she would be staying at Mei's the rest of her trip, but I'm not bothered by that. I've got these people! My second family! Who needs Athena when I can have Angela and Hana and Fareeha, and everyone else here! Who needs her?"_


	12. -- AUTHORS NOTE - SORRY GUYS !! --

it's like my absolute pet peeve when fic writers do this and yet here i am..... either you die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

 

ANYWAYS OK

 

My old computer 100% pooped out on me. So, I got a new one! With none of my old documents on it... But, I backed up all the chapter information to my phone, good plan right? Well, I got a new phone and my old one refuses to transfer it's data to the new one :( So, I'll have to transfer that manually. Eventually lmao.

I'm going to be uploading 3 new fics soon. One of them is long overdue from September, the other one is a NaNoWriMo I decided to just let myself do for fun, and finally, there's the Zarymei week- which I'll be posting a little late because #school. Thus, Medical Supplies is taking back seat a bit... I've got some fun plans for the new chapters, but they'll have to sit out for a little bit.

Regardless, if you want updates or to request fic ideas, please follow me on tumblr @ teamtrixiemattel.tumblr.com! See you all soon!!

 

\- I MAY WRITE A COUPLE SHORT APOLOGY DRABBLES FOR THE ABSENCE!! Request your ideas below!! - 


	13. LMAO

i hate it when people write notes as chapters but this fic was so awful why did people like it anyways it's dead and cancelled i'm not even using this account anymore

hmu @sinnermon


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